Valentich's Last Flight

On 21 October 1978 pilot, Frederick Valentich took off from Moorabbin airport heading for King Island in his Cessna 182.



Heading over Bass Strait, Valentich began radioing the flight tower with messages (see below) that would fuel speculation of UFO involvement to this day. To this day, no trace of Valentich or the plane has ever been found.

The following is a transcript of Valentich's final radio dispatches from Aircraft Accident Investigation report:

1906 hours

Valentich: Melbourne, this is Delta Sierra Juliet. Is there any known traffic below five thousand?

Melbourne: No known traffic.

Valentich: It seems to be a large aircraft below five thousand.

Melbourne: What type of aircraft is it? Valentich: I cannot affirm. It has what seems to me like four bright landing lights.

1907 hours

Valentich: Melbourne, this is Delta Sierra Juliet. The aircraft has just passed over me at least a thousand feet above.

Melbourne: Roger. And it is a large aircraft? Please confirm.

Valentich: I'm not sure due to the speed it's travelling. Is there any airforce aircraft in the vicinity?

Melbourne: No known aircraft in the vicinity.

1908 hours

Valentich: Melbourne, it's approaching now from due east towards me.

Valentich: (open microphone for two seconds)

Valentich:It seems to me that he's playing some sort of game. He's flying over me two, three times at speeds I could not identify.

1909 hours

Melbourne: Roger. What is your actual level?

Valentich: My level is four and a half thousand four five zero zero.

Melbourne: And you cannot identify the aircraft?

Valentich: Affirmative.

Melbourne: Roger. Please stand by.

Valentich: It's not an aircraft it's....(open microphone for two seconds)

Melbourne: Can you describe the aircraft?

Valentich: It's got a long shape. (open microphone for three seconds) I cannot identify more than that. It has such speed.

1910 hours

Melbourne: Roger. And how large would the object be?

Valentich: It seems like it's stationary.

What I'm doing right now is orbiting and the thing is just orbiting on top of me... also, its got a green light and sort of metallic like it's all shiny on the outside.

Valentich: (open microphone for five seconds)... It's just vanished.

1911 hours

Valentich: Melbourne, would you know what kind of aircraft I've got? Is it military aircraft?

Melbourne: Confirm the aircraft just vanished.

Valentich: Say again?

Melbourne: Is the aircraft still with you?

Valentich: It's approaching from the south-west.

Valentich: The engine is rough idling. I've got it set at twenty three twenty four and the thing is directly over me.

1912 hours

Melbourne: Roger. What are your intentions?

Valentich: My intentions are to go to King Island, Melbourne. That strange aircraft is hovering on top of me again... (two seconds open microphone)... It is hovering and it's not an aircraft...

Valentich repeated his call sign and fell silent. Sixteen seconds later radio contact was lost. Neither Valentich or his plane were ever seen again.