The Loch Raven Dam UFO Incident (1958): A Critical Examination of a Forgotten Case

On a clear October night in 1958, two men driving near a reservoir in Maryland had an encounter that would earn a place in UFO history. Despite being one of the most well-documented cases investigated by the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book, the Loch Raven Dam incident remains relatively obscure compared to more famous UFO events. This report examines the evidence, evaluates witness credibility, explores skeptical perspectives, and assesses the case’s lasting impact on UFO discourse.

The Incident: What Happened That Night

On October 26, 1958, at approximately 10:30 PM, two men—Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen—were traveling by car near the Loch Raven Dam, north of Baltimore, Maryland. As they approached a bridge, they observed what they described as a “flattened out, egg-shaped object” hovering approximately 100-150 feet from the top of the bridge¹². Intrigued by this unusual sight, they slowed their vehicle to get a better look, approaching to about 75 feet from the bridge.

At this point, something remarkable occurred—their car suddenly went completely dead. According to their testimony, “it was like they just cut the key off.” None of the electrical systems in the vehicle functioned¹. The driver attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. Understandably frightened by both the strange object and the malfunction of their vehicle, the two men took cover behind their car.

From this position, they observed the UFO for approximately 30-45 seconds. Suddenly, the object emitted a bright white flash of light, which caused the witnesses to feel a heat sensation on their faces. This flash was accompanied by a loud sound that they likened to thunder¹. Following this, the object began to slowly rise straight upward. The witnesses described it as “extremely bright” during its ascent, causing the edges of the object to appear fuzzy or indistinct. Within 5-10 seconds, the object had completely disappeared from view¹.

After the object’s departure, the men discovered they could restart their car. They immediately sought to report what they had witnessed. They first contacted the Ground Observer Corp, which did not respond. Subsequently, they reached out to the Towson Police Department, which dispatched two patrolmen to the scene¹.

Physical Effects and Medical Treatment

In the aftermath of the encounter, both witnesses began to experience a burning sensation on their skin. This prompted them to seek medical attention at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Baltimore. They were examined by medical professionals before returning to their respective homes¹. This physical effect represents one of the most intriguing aspects of the case, as it suggests a potential physiological impact beyond mere visual observation.

Some accounts expand the scope of the incident, suggesting that as many as 20 people who were present at the lake during the event later visited local hospitals with “sunburn-like” rashes and burning pain on exposed body parts³. However, this detail varies among accounts and may represent a conflation with another incident or an embellishment of the original report.

Site Investigation and Official Response

Follow-up investigation revealed additional details about the setting. The bridge in question was described as double-arched, approximately 40 feet tall, and 500 feet long. The distance from the witnesses to the object was estimated at about 3/4 of a mile. Investigators noted that there were no unusual atmospheric conditions at the time, and the skies were clear¹.

The Loch Raven Dam case was subsequently investigated by Project Blue Book, the U.S. Air Force’s official UFO investigation program that operated from 1952 to 1969¹². Despite their investigation, Project Blue Book was unable to determine a conclusive explanation for the appearance of the object. The case remains classified as “unidentified” in their records, making it part of the approximately 5% of cases that could not be identified by the Air Force project⁴.

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Evaluating Witness Credibility

Assessing the credibility of any UFO report requires examining several factors: the reliability of the witnesses, the consistency of their testimony, the physical evidence, and the official investigation findings.

The Witnesses: Small and Cohen

While detailed background information about Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen is limited in available sources, several factors lend credibility to their account. First, they immediately reported the incident to authorities, suggesting they felt a civic responsibility to share what they had experienced. Second, they sought medical attention for the burning sensation they experienced, indicating they were experiencing genuine physical discomfort that required professional evaluation.

Their decision to hide behind their car rather than flee the scene entirely suggests they were frightened but also curious enough to continue observing the phenomenon, which aligns with typical human behavior when confronted with something unusual but not immediately threatening.

Consistency of Testimony

The core elements of the witnesses’ testimony appear consistent across multiple sources. The egg-shaped object, the electrical failure of the car, the flash of light, the sensation of heat, the thunderous sound, and the vertical ascent of the object are reported consistently across different accounts¹²⁴⁵. This internal consistency strengthens the credibility of their report.

Physical Evidence

The physical evidence in this case, while limited, is notable:

The reported medical symptoms (burning sensation, possible rashes) experienced by the witnesses
The temporary electrical failure of the witnesses’ vehicle

Without access to the medical records or a technical examination of the vehicle from the time, it’s difficult to evaluate the strength of this evidence today. However, the contemporaneous reporting of these physical effects adds a dimension to the case that goes beyond mere visual sighting.

Official Investigation

The fact that Project Blue Book classified this case as “unidentified” is significant. Project Blue Book had a tendency to explain UFO sightings as misidentifications of natural phenomena, aircraft, or astronomical objects. The fact that they could not determine a cause for this particular sighting places it in the minority of cases that defied conventional explanation at the time¹⁵.

However, it’s important to note that “unidentified” does not necessarily mean “extraterrestrial” or “unexplainable.” It simply means that given the information and investigative resources available at the time, no definitive explanation could be determined.

Alternative Explanations and Skeptical Perspectives

While the Loch Raven Dam incident remains officially unexplained, several potential conventional explanations could account for what Small and Cohen experienced that night in 1958.

Atmospheric Phenomena

One possibility is that the witnesses observed a rare but natural atmospheric phenomenon. Ball lightning, for instance, is a relatively uncommon electrical phenomenon that appears as a glowing, spherical object that can hover, move against the wind, and sometimes disappear suddenly. While typical ball lightning is usually smaller than the object described by Small and Cohen, some reported instances have been quite large.

The electrical effects on the car could potentially be explained by strong electromagnetic fields associated with certain atmospheric electrical phenomena. However, this would not easily account for the deliberate, controlled vertical ascent described by the witnesses.

Military or Experimental Aircraft

The late 1950s was a period of rapid advancement in aviation technology, with both the U.S. and Soviet Union developing and testing new aircraft designs. It’s possible that what Small and Cohen observed was an experimental aircraft or balloon being tested by the military.

The proximity of military facilities in the greater Baltimore-Washington area makes this a plausible consideration. However, the reported appearance and behavior of the object—particularly its silent operation (except for the thunder-like sound during the flash), its hovering capability, and its rapid vertical ascent—would have been extraordinarily advanced for 1958 aviation technology.

Electrical Phenomena and the Vehicle Failure

The failure of the car’s electrical system is one of the most intriguing aspects of this case. Skeptics might suggest that the car simply experienced a coincidental electrical failure at the moment the witnesses observed the unusual light in the sky. However, the timing of the failure and its perfect correlation with the presence of the object, followed by the car starting again after the object’s departure, makes coincidence seem unlikely.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can cause disruptions to electrical systems, and certain natural phenomena or human-made devices can generate EMI. The incident occurred near a reservoir and dam, which contains large electrical equipment that could potentially create electromagnetic fields under certain conditions. However, the complete failure of the car’s electrical system would require a substantial electromagnetic field.

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Psychological Factors

Under conditions of excitement or fear, witnesses may misperceive ordinary phenomena or misremember details of an event. The power of suggestion can also play a role, especially if one witness’s interpretation influences the other.

However, the physical effects reported (the car’s electrical failure and the burning sensation on the witnesses’ skin) are not easily explained by psychological factors alone. Additionally, their immediate actions—reporting to authorities and seeking medical attention—suggest they genuinely believed they had experienced something unusual with physical consequences.

Loch Raven’s UFO Legacy: A “UFO Magnet”

The 1958 incident does not stand alone in the history of Loch Raven Reservoir. Multiple sources describe the location as a “UFO magnet” with reported sightings in 1953, 1978, 1983, 1996, and 2000⁶⁷. This pattern of recurring phenomena in the same geographic location over decades adds an interesting dimension to the 1958 case.

The earliest documented incident at Loch Raven occurred in May 1953, approximately five years before the Small and Cohen encounter. According to reports, two young men driving to meet dates witnessed a strange phenomenon near one of the bridges crossing the reservoir. This incident allegedly involved a UFO with “a column of water beneath it,” suggesting some kind of interaction with the reservoir itself⁷.

An eyewitness account from a former truck driver describes a more recent strange experience in the area, where she reported being warned by what she called “Forest People” about an entity with “red glowing eyes” near Loch Raven Reservoir⁶. While this account differs significantly from the 1958 incident, it contributes to the area’s reputation for unusual phenomena.

The recurring nature of reports at this location raises interesting questions. Could there be something about the geographical, geological, or electromagnetic properties of the area that makes it conducive to unusual atmospheric phenomena? Does the large body of water play a role in creating conditions that could lead to misperceptions or actual anomalous events? Or has the 1958 incident simply primed local residents to interpret unusual sights and experiences through the lens of UFO phenomena?

Historical Context and Impact

The Loch Raven Dam incident occurred during a significant period in UFO history. The late 1950s was a time of considerable public interest in UFO phenomena, coming after the initial wave of modern UFO sightings in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Project Blue Book was actively investigating reports, and public fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors was high.

The incident happened just one year after the launch of Sputnik in 1957, which heightened Cold War tensions and increased public awareness of space and the possibilities it held. This cultural context likely influenced both how the witnesses interpreted what they saw and how the public and authorities received their report.

Place in UFO Literature

While not as widely known as some cases, the Loch Raven Dam incident is significant within UFO research circles for several reasons:

It was investigated by Project Blue Book and remains unidentified¹²
It involved both visual observations and physical effects (vehicle interference and reported physiological symptoms)¹
It featured multiple witnesses who immediately reported their experience to authorities
It occurred in a location with a history of similar reports⁶⁵⁷

These factors make it a case of interest to serious UFO researchers, even if it hasn’t captured the broader public imagination to the same degree as some other incidents. As one source describes it, the case is “one of the best-documented cases in UFO history” yet “all but forgotten by most”⁵.

Comparison to Contemporary Cases

The Loch Raven Dam incident shares features with other well-known UFO cases of the era, particularly those involving vehicle interference. The reported effects on the car’s electrical system parallels other cases like the famous 1957 Levelland, Texas sightings, where multiple witnesses in separate locations reported vehicle malfunctions in the presence of unusual aerial objects.

This pattern of vehicle interference in UFO reports eventually became recognized as a distinct subcategory of UFO encounters, lending additional significance to the Loch Raven Dam incident as an early documented case of this phenomenon.

Continued Interest

The recent podcast (April 27, 2024) discussing the incident indicates continued interest in the case, demonstrating its cultural staying power even more than 65 years after it occurred⁸. This ongoing fascination suggests that despite its relatively low profile in mainstream UFO discourse, the case continues to intrigue those interested in unexplained aerial phenomena.

The podcast “Sasquatch and Sourdough” describes the Loch Raven UFO case as an “incredible story” worthy of discussion as their inaugural episode, suggesting that even contemporary audiences find the details compelling⁸.

Unresolved Questions and Research Opportunities

Several aspects of the Loch Raven Dam incident remain unresolved and could benefit from further research:

The Physical Effects

The reported burning sensation and possible rashes experienced by the witnesses represent a puzzling aspect of the case. Various forms of radiation (ultraviolet, infrared, microwave, etc.) can cause skin irritation or burns. A bright flash from a conventional source, such as a powerful spotlight or flare, could potentially cause temporary discomfort, but might not explain lasting effects.

Without medical records or a contemporary scientific examination of the witnesses, it’s difficult to determine the exact nature and cause of these reported symptoms. Future research could attempt to locate hospital records, if they still exist and are accessible within privacy laws.

Vehicle Interference

The mechanism by which the UFO allegedly caused the car’s electrical systems to fail remains unexplained. Electromagnetic interference is a possible explanation, but the source and nature of such interference in this case are unknown. A technical analysis of how various forms of EMI might affect vehicle systems of that era could provide useful context.

The Broader Pattern

The recurring reports of unusual phenomena at Loch Raven Reservoir suggest a pattern that might be worth systematic investigation. A comprehensive survey of all reported incidents in the area, combined with geographical, geological, and environmental data, might reveal factors that could contribute to unusual sightings or experiences.

Primary Sources

For researchers interested in digging deeper into this case, several primary sources would be valuable:

Project Blue Book records for case #6148, which are now available through the National Archives
Contemporary police reports from the Towson Police Department
Medical records from St. Joseph’s Hospital (if accessible)
Baltimore-area newspaper archives from late October and early November 1958

A thorough examination of these primary sources could potentially reveal details not captured in the secondary accounts available in the search results.

Conclusion: An Enduring Mystery

The 1958 Loch Raven Dam incident remains an intriguing historical case that defied explanation at the time and continues to resist definitive conclusions today. The combination of visual observations, vehicle interference, and reported physiological effects makes it a significant case in UFO literature, even if it hasn’t achieved the fame of some other incidents.

While various conventional explanations could potentially account for aspects of the event, none seem to comprehensively explain all the reported features of the encounter. Equally, the evidence is insufficient to conclude that something truly extraordinary or extraterrestrial occurred.

What we can say with confidence is that Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen experienced something unusual on that October night in 1958—something that affected them sufficiently to report it to authorities and seek medical attention. Whether that experience represented an encounter with an unknown atmospheric phenomenon, an experimental aircraft, or something even more exotic remains an open question.

The Loch Raven Dam incident stands as a reminder of the limitations of our knowledge and the continuing mystery surrounding certain unexplained aerial phenomena. By approaching such cases with both critical skepticism and open-minded inquiry, we can hope to eventually develop a better understanding of these puzzling historical events.

The continued fascination with the case—evidenced by recent podcast coverage and its persistence in UFO literature—demonstrates that even after more than six decades, the strange egg-shaped object that hovered over Loch Raven Dam continues to capture the imagination and curiosity of those interested in the unexplained.

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Isaac Koi