Eyewitness Reports and Car Malfunctions at Loch Raven

Introduction

On the night of 26 October 1958 near Loch Raven Dam in Maryland, two men — Phillip Small (then 27) and Alvin Cohen (24) — reported one of the most striking mid‑century UFO encounters in the United States, not merely for what they saw, but for the immediate physical effects they attributed to it. Their testimony combines a close visual sighting of an unusual airborne object with a suite of environmental and physiological effects that distinguish this case in UFO archives, including alleged vehicle electrical failure and sensations of heat or burning on their bodies. The following sections summarise the eyewitness testimonies, the sequence of physical effects they reported, and how these immediate impressions shaped official investigation records. [NICAP]nicap.orgUFO ReportNICAPUFO ReportOctober 26, 1958…Published: October 26, 1958

Small and Cohen’s Statements on First Contact

According to multiple historical accounts drawn from witness transcripts and Project Blue Book documentation, Small and Cohen were driving along a road beside Loch Raven Reservoir at about 10:30 p.m. when they suddenly observed “a large, flat, egg‑shaped object” hovering in darkness over a bridge structure ahead of them. Estimates in the declassified record place the object roughly 100–150 feet above the bridge and perhaps 75–80 feet away from their position when it first came into clear view. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: The Loch Raven Dam case, 1958…

Both men slowed their car to observe the object more closely, but — in their words — the vehicle’s entire electrical system failed almost immediately: the engine cut out, dash lights and headlights went dark, and attempts to restart it produced no response. Small later described the sensation as if the ignition and electrical systems had simply been “cut off.” [NICAP]nicap.orgThe Project Bluebook "UnknownsNICAPThe Project Bluebook "Unknowns"…

Terrified, the witnesses exited the car and took cover behind it, watching the object in silence. Their statements, as recorded in Project Blue Book files and UFO case compendia, place the duration of direct observation at around 30 – 45 seconds before any further dramatic effect. [NICAP]nicap.org26, 1958. Loch Raven Dam, Maryland. 10:30 p.m. (EST). Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat egg-shaped object, flying low about…

Engine and Electrical Failure: Immediate Physical Effect

One of the most commonly cited aspects of this incident is the alleged vehicle interference. Small and Cohen’s testimony asserts that every electrical component of their car ceased functioning when they neared the object, including both engine and lighting systems. The effect was described not as a simple engine stall but as a complete collapse of the electrical system, with no whirring or ignition sound when attempts were made to restart it. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgFor the US Air Force who conducted ProjectUFOs at close sight: Project Blue Book unexplained cases summaries with witnesses names, 1958PROJECT BLUE BOOK UNEXPLAINED CASES SUMMARIE…

According to the witnesses, this failure persisted only while the object remained overhead; once the craft departed, the car could be restarted without difficulty. The apparent synchrony between the object’s presence and the interruption of electrical power is cited in UFO literature as an example of reported physical trace evidence in close sighting cases. [NICAP]nicap.orgUFO ReportNICAPUFO ReportOctober 26, 1958…Published: October 26, 1958

Heat, Flash and Loud Sound During Departure

As the researchers’ accounts continue, after several tens of seconds spent observing the object, Small and Cohen reported a sudden and “brilliant flash of white light” emanating from the craft. Concomitant with this flash was a loud noise variously described as like thunder or a dull explosion. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: The Loch Raven Dam case, 1958…

Both men stated that they felt heat on their faces during or immediately after this flash, enough that, once the incident was formally recorded and they had contact with police, they noticed a reddening or burning sensation on the side of their skin facing the object. Some accounts note that this sensation persisted into the following day, prompting them to seek examination at a local hospital in Baltimore. [NICAP]nicap.orgThe Project Bluebook "UnknownsNICAPThe Project Bluebook "Unknowns"…

This combination of visual intensity, auditory shock, and thermal sensation is part of what UFO researchers classify in close encounter taxonomy as a Close Encounter of the Second Kind — a sighting event that allegedly leaves observable physical effects on the environment or witnesses themselves. [The Towson Torch]towsontorch.comThe Towson Torch🛸 The Enigma of the 10/26/58 Loch Raven Reservoir UFO SightingOctober 27, 2025…Published: October 27, 2025

Interaction Duration and Departure

Project Blue Book summaries and witness testimony agree that the duration of the primary encounter — from the first sighting of the object to its departure — lasted roughly one minute. The object, after the flash and sound, reportedly rose vertically with increasing brightness and “fuzzy” edges before disappearing from view within 5 – 10 seconds. Immediately afterwards, the witnesses could restart their vehicle and drive away to seek help. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgFor the US Air Force who conducted ProjectUFOs at close sight: Project Blue Book unexplained cases summaries with witnesses names, 1958PROJECT BLUE BOOK UNEXPLAINED CASES SUMMARIE…

Once on the phone and after police arrived at the scene, Small and Cohen described to officers not only the sighting but their lingering burning sensations, which placed the immediate physiological impact alongside the anecdotal visual event. [NICAP]nicap.org26, 1958. Loch Raven Dam, Maryland. 10:30 p.m. (EST). Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat egg-shaped object, flying low about…

Witness Corroboration and Broader Reporting

While Small and Cohen’s account is the chief source for this incident, some UFO archives also reference additional observers who reported similar unusual lights or sounds in the wider area at the same time, though their statements are typically less detailed or not directly tied to the same sequence of physical effects. One such witness, referred to only as “Mr. M”, claimed to see a luminous white object rising into the air shortly after the Loch Raven encounter before disappearing, offering a form of peripheral corroboration in the broader narrative. [UFO Insight]ufoinsight.comUFO Insight The “Forgotten” UFO Incidents Of The Loch Raven DamUFO InsightThe “Forgotten” UFO Incidents Of The Loch Raven Dam - UFO InsightJanuary 3, 2019…Published: January 3, 2019

Immediate Effects in Context

What makes the Loch Raven case stand out in UFO documentation is not solely the sighting of an unidentified aerial object, but the witness accounts of tangible environmental and bodily responses — from vehicle electrical failure to intense heat and skin irritation. These facets were significant enough to be highlighted in Project Blue Book’s records and continue to define discussions of the case within UFO research circles. [NICAP]nicap.org26, 1958. Loch Raven Dam, Maryland. 10:30 p.m. (EST). Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat egg-shaped object, flying low about…

While official investigators ultimately classified the incident as unidentified and noted no clear national security threat, the combination of reported sensory and mechanical effects has kept this encounter in the lexicon of mid‑century UFO cases with alleged immediate physical impacts. [NICAP]nicap.org26, 1958. Loch Raven Dam, Maryland. 10:30 p.m. (EST). Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat egg-shaped object, flying low about…

Endnotes

1. Source: nicap.org
   Title: UFO Report
   Link: https://www.nicap.org/reports/581026lochravendam_report2.htm
   Source snippet

   NICAPUFO ReportOctober 26, 1958...

   Published: October 26, 1958

2. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org
   Link: https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/lochravendam.htm
   Source snippet

   ufo - UFOs at close sight: The Loch Raven Dam case, 1958...

3. Source: nicap.org
   Title: The Project Bluebook “Unknowns”
   Link: https://www.nicap.org/bluebook/unknowns.htm
   Source snippet

   NICAPThe Project Bluebook "Unknowns"...

4. Source: nicap.org
   Link: https://www.nicap.org/match/MADAR_101/00-01-Foal-Eagle-BBU-Ascents.htm
   Source snippet

   26, 1958. Loch Raven Dam, Maryland. 10:30 p.m. (EST). Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat egg-shaped object, flying low about...

5. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org
   Title: For the US Air Force who conducted Project
   Link: https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/bluebooku58.htm
   Source snippet

   UFOs at close sight: Project Blue Book unexplained cases summaries with witnesses names, 1958PROJECT BLUE BOOK UNEXPLAINED CASES SUMMARIE...

6. Source: towsontorch.com
   Title: The Towson Torch🛸 The Enigma of the 10/26/58 Loch Raven Reservoir UFO Sighting
   Link: https://towsontorch.com/p/the-enigma-of-the-10-26-58-loch-raven-reservoir-ufo-sighting
   Source snippet

   October 27, 2025...

   Published: October 27, 2025

7. Source: ufoinsight.com
   Title: UFO Insight The “Forgotten” UFO Incidents Of The Loch Raven Dam
   Link: https://www.ufoinsight.com/ufos/sightings/ufo-incidents-loch-raven-dam
   Source snippet

   UFO InsightThe “Forgotten” UFO Incidents Of The Loch Raven Dam - UFO InsightJanuary 3, 2019...

   Published: January 3, 2019

Additional References

1. Source: exonews.org
   Title: Loch Raven Reservoir’s Forgotten UFO, 60 Years Later
   Link: https://exonews.org/loch-raven-reservoirs-forgotten-ufo-60-years-later/
   Source snippet

   November 6, 2018 — LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR’S FORGOTTEN UFO, 60 YEARS LATER * November 6, 2018 * ExoNews Editor * UFOs by Libby Solomon Octob...

   Published: November 6, 2018

2. Source: youtube.com
   Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRL9r5kms7g
   Source snippet

   "Loch Raven Dam" UFO 1958 The 1958 Loch Raven Dam UFO Sighting Street of Silence...

3. Source: ufocasebook.com
   Title: As they approached a bridge, they
   Link: https://www.ufocasebook.com/1958lockravendam.html
   Source snippet

   The Loch Raven Dam Incident, 1958-UFO Casebook FilesTHE LOCH RAVEN DAM INCIDENT, 1958 Image: UFO On October 26, 1958 at 10:30 PM, near th...

   Published: October 26, 1958

4. Source: isaackoi.com
   Title: 19581026 loch raven dam incident
   Link: https://isaackoi.com/ufo-history/ufo/19581026-loch-raven-dam-incident/
   Source snippet

   1958.1026 Loch Raven Dam incident | Isaac Koi ArchiveOctober 26, 1958 — Image needed On 26 October 1958, the incident at Loch Raven Dam...

   Published: October 26, 1958

5. Source: thinkaboutitdocs.com
   Title: 1958 the loch raven dam incident
   Link: https://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/1958-the-loch-raven-dam-incident/
   Source snippet

   1958: The Loch Raven Dam IncidentApril 8, 2013 — 1958: THE LOCH RAVEN DAM INCIDENT Orbman April 8, 2013 3 minutes read Image: baltimore...

   Published: April 8, 2013

6. Source: astonishinglegends.com
   Title: It was a fairly uneventful day
   Link: https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/10/30/the-loch-raven-reservoir-ufo
   Source snippet

   The Loch Raven Reservoir UFO — Astonishing LegendsOctober 30, 2019 — THE LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR UFO On October 26th, 1958 around midnight...

   Published: October 30, 2019

7. Source: stronghold-nation.com
   Title: A small recreational site wa
   Link: https://www.stronghold-nation.com/history/myth/the-loch-raven-dam-incident
   Source snippet

   The Loch Raven Dam Incident | UFO Case Studies | Stronghold NationTHE LOCH RAVEN DAM INCIDENT * UFO Case Studies * 1 min BY CRUSADER1307...

8. Source: zestythings.com
   Title: ufos loch raven ufo history
   Link: https://zestythings.com/ufos-loch-raven-ufo-history/
   Source snippet

   The Loch Raven UFO History: Loch Raven Reservoir - Zesty ThingsDecember 20, 2025 — THE LOCH RAVEN UFO HISTORY: LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR Last...

   Published: December 20, 2025

9. Source: youtube.com
   Title: 12 Creepy UFO Sightings[Chapters Included!!] [Compilation]
   Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HcUF9LfypU
   Source snippet

   UFO Encounter: The Levelland Incident | The Texas Sightings That Stopped Cars in Their Tracks...

10. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Those Dam UFOs!!!
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Z8oMehOUI
    Source snippet

    12 Creepy UFO Sightings[Chapters Included!!] [Compilation]...