FBI Files Reveal 1947 B-25 Crash and Flying Disc Hoax Invest

FBI Files Reveal 1947 B-25 Crash and Flying Disc Hoax Investigation

Declassified FBI files from 1947 detail the investigation into a B-25 crash at Kelso, Washington, that sparked rumors of flying disc fragments and sabotage. The FBI concluded the story was a hoax, originating from rock formations found on Maury Island.

Published

September 7, 2026

Declassified

Date not listed

Source agency

The Black Vault (FOIA archive)

fbicrashfoia1947flyingdischoaxinvestigation

FBI Memo Details Flying Disc Reports and B-25 Crash

Francisco office sent an airmail memorandum to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, transmitting photostatic copies of three reports from Lieutenant Colonel A-2 of the Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Field, California. These reports concerned sightings of flying discs, a phenomenon that had captured national attention that summer.

The memorandum, marked "Reports of Flying Discs," also noted that copies were being shared with the Los Angeles and Butte field offices, indicating the Bureau's coordinated effort to track such reports across the western United States. The central incident highlighted in the memo was the crash of a B-25 bomber near Kelso, Washington, on August 1, 1947. The plane had been returning to Hamilton Field after transporting materials reportedly linked to flying disc fragments.

The crash killed two Army Intelligence officers, Captain Davidson and Lieutenant Brown, while the crew chief and a hitchhiker survived by parachuting to safety. The FBI's interest in this…

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Based on the official release at https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi-files-on-ufos/

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