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