| The Cash-Landrum Incident is a reported | | | | plastic dashboard, her hands left a permanent |
| Unidentified Flying Object sighting the witnesses | | | | imprint that later served as the most crucial |
| insist was responsible for damage to their health. | | | | evidence that all this had really happened. Cash |
| It might be classified as a Close Encounter of the | | | | turned on the air conditioning to cool the car, but |
| Second Kind, due to its reported physical effects | | | | the air grew so hot that their faces seemed to |
| on the witnesses. | | | | be on fire. |
| Incident | | | | Finally, the object hovered higher in the sky. As it |
| At about 9:00pm on the evening of December | | | | ascended over the treetops, about 23 helicopters |
| 29, 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum and Colby | | | | surrounded it. Some of them where double-rotor |
| Landrum (Vickie's grandson) were driving near | | | | Chinooks similar to those used by military forces |
| Dayton, Texas when out of seemingly nowhere, | | | | around the world (several others would later state |
| a huge diamond-shaped object hovered nearly | | | | they too had seen Chinook-type helicopters at |
| level to the treetops. The object began moving | | | | roughly the same time and place.) Even though |
| straight toward the trio. The object's base was | | | | the heat and terror of the situation was |
| expelling flame, and generated significant heat. | | | | overtaking her, Cash could clearly see the |
| Cash later told investigators that it was in similar | | | | markings on the sides of the helicopters. The |
| size to that of a water tower and "lit up the | | | | letters read United States Air Force. |
| entire sky". | | | | Allegedly, the UFO had also blasted the road, |
| Based on descriptions given in John F. Schuessler's | | | | leading to claims in which the road surface, |
| book on the incident, it appears that the | | | | surrounding area was removed, resurfaced, |
| observers were traveling south on the Texas | | | | ostensibly to remove radioactive material. |
| roads FM 1485/2100. The initial location of the | | | | Aftermath |
| reported object, based on the same descriptions, | | | | Health problems |
| was just south of Inland Road, approximately at | | | | After the UFO and helicopters left, Cash took the |
| 30.0926 N, 95.1109 W | | | | Landrums home, then retired for the evening. |
| Vickie, a born again Christian, revealed that she | | | | That night, they all experienced similar symptoms, |
| initially interpreted the object as a sign of the | | | | though Cash to a greater degree: All suffered |
| second coming of Jesus. | | | | from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and |
| As the object blocked the road, Cash stopped car | | | | felt as though they'd suffered sunburns. Many |
| and observed it. Cash and Landrum got out of | | | | blisters appeared on Cash's skin, and doctors |
| the car to examine the object. Cash later told an | | | | concluded that Cash was the victim of radiation |
| investigator that when they saw the object | | | | poisoning. Eventually, she was hospitalized, and had |
| close-up they "... thought the end of the world | | | | suffered very ill health since sighting the object. |
| was coming ...". Landrum quickly returned to the | | | | Due to the Chinook helicopters' presence, the |
| car, but Cash stood there for a few minutes, not | | | | witnesses presumed that at least one branch of |
| knowing what to do next. When she finally | | | | the United States Armed Forces had, at the very |
| returned to the car, Cash realized that the heat | | | | least, witnessed the object. Cash and Landrum, |
| was so intense that her fingers were burned | | | | and Cody were interviewed at length by |
| when she touched the door handle. | | | | personnel at Bergstrom Air Force Base. |
| While all this happened, the object continued | | | | Legal action |
| shooting flames in an apparently random manner. | | | | The victims sued the U.S government for $20 |
| Cash was about to turn the car around when she | | | | million but on August 21, 1986, the U.S. District |
| realized that it was impossible since the road was | | | | Court judge dismissed their case, on the grounds |
| too narrow and the shoulders were dangerously | | | | that the United States Armed Forces did not |
| soft. When she suggested flooring the gas and | | | | have such an object in their possession. The |
| driving directly through the object as an | | | | official investigation was conducted by Lt. Col. |
| alternative, Landrum screamed at her that it was | | | | George Sarran who concluded that "... There was |
| too risky. | | | | no evidence presented that would indicate that |
| For approximately 15 minutes, the trio sat in the | | | | Army, National Guard, or Army Reserve |
| sizzling car and watched helplessly as the object | | | | helicopters were involved". The lawsuit was to |
| hovered overhead. Colby was crying and | | | | have determined if the object was a secret |
| screaming, despite the efforts of his grandmother. | | | | military craft or a alien craft. |
| Cash estimated that the object was about 130 | | | | Betty Cash died on December 29, 1998, exactly |
| feet in front of the car. At one point, the car | | | | 18 years after her close encounter. |
| grew so hot that when Landrum pushed on the | | | | |