Step by Step Account of Gary Wilcox's UFO Sighting

Introduction

On the morning of 24 April 1964, dairy farmer Gary T. Wilcox of Newark Valley, New York reported a striking and highly detailed encounter with a metallic, egg‑shaped craft and two humanoid occupants. What distinguishes this story within the broader “Gary Wilcox encounter” archives is the extended dialogue Wilcox later claimed occurred between himself and these beings — a two‑hour interaction about mundane agricultural matters and confident but ultimately inaccurate predictions about space exploration. The following account focuses closely on Wilcox’s reported observations and the content of the spoken exchanges as they have been documented in multiple post‑event sources.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

Morning Farm Work and First Sighting

At about 10 a.m. on 24 April 1964, Wilcox was working alone on his 300‑acre farm, spreading manure with a tractor in a secluded field near the edge of woods in rural Newark Valley. While driving his tractor, he noticed an unusual shape among the trees. He steered towards it, initially thinking it might be a fuel tank or aircraft part, but as he drew closer the object resolved into an egg‑shaped metallic structure, roughly 20 feet long, about 4 feet high, and some 15–16 feet wide. Its surface appeared smooth and seamless, coloured a bright aluminium‑like metal, and Wilcox said it emitted no heat, vibration or sound apart from a slight hum that reminded him of a car engine idling.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

Wilcox stepped down from his tractor, touched the object and even kicked it lightly, still uncertain what he was seeing. Moments later, two small figures — each around four feet tall and entirely covered head to toe in shiny white or silver suits with no visible skin — emerged from beneath it, carrying what Wilcox described as square trays filled with soil, roots, leaves and plant debris. They moved toward him slowly, and Wilcox later said he felt a rising sense of anxiety before they spoke.[ufoac.com]ufoac.comconversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964

Description of the Craft and Occupants

Wilcox described the beings as humanoid in general outline but with suits that left no part of their bodies exposed. He could not discern features such as faces or hair, but he later noted that the suits had no seams or rivets, and that the occupants’ voices were hard to characterise. He said he understood them, but could not tell whether they spoke English or some other language — the voices sounded unlike anything he recognised.[ufoac.com]ufoac.comconversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964

According to accounts, it was one of these figures who first addressed him with a calm reassurance: “Don’t be alarmed. We have spoken to people before.” Whether that phrase was precisely as quoted or a paraphrase from later retellings, it remains the first reported verbal contact.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

Reported Conversation and Predictions

Once the initial alarm subsided, the encounter reportedly evolved into an extended dialogue dominated by questions from the beings. Rather than a dramatic exchange about cosmic matters, the conversation focused largely on Wilcox’s agricultural work:

• They asked what he was doing and what the tractor was.
• They wanted to know why he was spreading manure and what manure actually was.
• Wilcox explained in detail the role of manure and farming practices. They also probed about fertiliser and organic substances that helped plant growth.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

Wilcox spent nearly two hours answering their questions, describing the mechanics of his work, the purpose of different fertilising materials, and even the general process of cultivating crops. In one later recounting, Wilcox offered to fetch a bag of fertiliser for them to examine, a proposal the beings declined on the spot because “they did not have time.” He later left a bag near the encounter site, and when he returned the next morning it was gone.[ufoac.com]ufoac.comconversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964

During the conversation, Wilcox also asked if he could accompany them on their craft. They allegedly declined, explaining that their atmosphere was too thin for a human and that they typically avoided densely populated areas because automobile fumes interfered with their vehicles. They portrayed themselves as visitors interested in Earth’s organic materials and conditions for growth.[ufoac.com]ufoac.comconversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964

Predictions About Humanity’s Future

In addition to practical curiosity about farming, Wilcox later said the beings shared predictions about human spaceflight. According to his accounts:

• They purported that American astronauts John Glenn and Virgil “Gus” Grissom and two Soviet counterparts would die within a year, allegedly as a consequence of exposure to the elements of space.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

These predictions did not come true within the stated timeframe. Glenn survived many years after without fatal injury, and while Grissom later died during the Apollo 1 fire in 1967, that was more than three years after the reported encounter. Both Russian cosmonauts mentioned in variants of the story — such as Vladimir Komarov — also died later under unrelated circumstances. These discrepancies have been noted by sceptics as a significant issue in evaluating the narrative’s veracity.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

Reported Departure

After concluding their lengthy line of questioning and declining Wilcox’s offer to wait for fertiliser, the two beings walked back toward their craft. Wilcox saw the object rise slowly from its hovering position, make a quiet gliding movement, then accelerate rapidly northward out of sight, leaving behind no obvious physical trace apart from Wilcox’s testimony and the visitors’ vanished fertiliser request.[ufoac.com]ufoac.comconversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964

This account, full of specific detail, dialogue and predictions, remains one of the more unusual testimony-rich UFO reports from the 1960s — not least because it centres on extended mundane dialogue rather than a brief sighting or fleeting contact. Its credibility has been debated among researchers, both because of the conversational content itself and its divergence from verifiable outcomes such as the predictions Wilcox attributed to his interlocutors.[UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer CaseUFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018…Published: December 27, 2018

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Endnotes

1. Source: ufoinsight.com
   Title: UFO Insight The Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case
   Link: https://www.ufoinsight.com/aliens/encounters/gary-wilcox-occupant-encounter
   Source snippet

   UFO InsightThe Gary Wilcox Occupant Encounter – The Fertilizer Case - UFO InsightDecember 27, 2018...

   Published: December 27, 2018

2. Source: ufoac.com
   Title: conversation of ufo passengers with a farmer 1964
   Link: https://ufoac.com/conversation-of-ufo-passengers-with-a-farmer-1964.html

Additional References

1. Source: scribd.com
   Title: Schwarz Landing 1964 Gary Wilcox New York State FSR SI 1969 N 3 UFO Percipients
   Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/776367902/Schwarz-Landing-1964-Gary-Wilcox-New-York-State-FSR-SI-1969-N-3-UFO-Percipients
   Source snippet

   Schwarz, Landing 1964, Gary Wilcox, New York State, FSR-SI 1969 N 3, UFO Percipients | PDF100%(1)100% found this document useful (1 vote)...

2. Source: stronghold-nation.com
   Title: Gary Wilcox was a then 27-year old Farmer in Upstate New York (US). He ow
   Link: https://www.stronghold-nation.com/history/myth/the-wilcox-encounter
   Source snippet

   The Wilcox Encounter | UFO Case Studies | Stronghold NationTHE WILCOX ENCOUNTER * UFO Case Studies * 1 min BY CRUSADER1307 This unusual "...

3. Source: rr0.org
   Title: Wilcox (fermier, 27 ans) se trouve dans un des champs de sa ferme de
   Link: https://rr0.org/science/crypto/ufo/enquete/dossier/Wilcox/index.html
   Source snippet

   La rencontre de WilcoxMay 10, 2025 — LA RENCONTRE DE WILCOX Le vendredi 24 avril 1964 à 10 h n1 le jour de la rencontre de Socorro à Newa...

   Published: May 10, 2025

4. Source: album-online.com
   Title: d616 rs aliens seen by gary wilcox newark valley new alb11791811
   Link: https://www.album-online.com/detail/de/NmUwYTBlMA/d616-rs-aliens-seen-by-gary-wilcox-newark-valley-new-alb11791811?iSF=3&sT=RICHARD+FARMER
   Source snippet

   Wilcox was a farmer working in his fiel - Album alb11791811alb11791811 D616(RS): THE ALIENS SEEN BY GARY WILCOX IN NEWARK VALLEY, NEW YOR...

5. Source: album-online.com
   Title: d616 rs aliens seen by gary wilcox newark valley new alb11791811
   Link: https://www.album-online.com/detail/en/NmUwYTBlMA/d616-rs-aliens-seen-by-gary-wilcox-newark-valley-new-alb11791811
   Source snippet

   Wilcox was a farmer working in his fiel - Album alb11791811alb11791811 D616(RS): THE ALIENS SEEN BY GARY WILCOX IN NEWARK VALLEY, NEW YOR...

6. Source: nicap.org
   Link: https://www.nicap.org/occupants_hall.htm
   Source snippet

   Alien Encounters, UFO Occupants, Humanoid ReportThere have always been sporadic reports of less "humanoid"—even monstrous—beings associat...

7. Source: thinkaboutitdocs.com
   Title: 1964 take me to your fertilizer
   Link: https://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/1964-take-me-to-your-fertilizer/
   Source snippet

   Orbman April 8, 2013 4 minutes read Image: wilcox1t * * * THINK ABOUTIT ENTITY ENCOUNTER REPORT * * * Date: April 24 1964 Sighting Time...

   Published: April 8, 2013

8. Source: thenightskyii.org
   Title: > > He owned a 300 acre farm
   Link: https://thenightskyii.org/wilcox.html
   Source snippet

   Gary Wilcox UFO Landing & Occupant CaseApril 24, 1964 — GARY WILCOX UFO LANDING & OCCUPANT CASE Image: Gary Wilcox UFO Landing & Occupant...

   Published: April 24, 1964

9. Source: thinkaboutitdocs.com
   Title: 1964 newark valley new york
   Link: https://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/1964-newark-valley-new-york/
   Source snippet

   1964: Newark Valley, New York SightingApril 24, 1964 — 1964: NEWARK VALLEY, NEW YORK SIGHTING Orbman April 8, 2013 4 min read Image: Gary...

   Published: April 24, 1964

10. Source: latest-ufo-sightings.net
    Title: 1964s bizarre ufo landing story
    Link: https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/2016/06/1964s-bizarre-ufo-landing-story.html
    Source snippet

    America Image: Gary Wilcox UFO If the Roswell incident had become so widespread, flying saucer might be so common in our l...