Earth File #2198 // SOURCED record

Reported low-altitude craft observation near Épinal, 10 July 1976

The GEIPAN case description records that, at around 4:30 a.m. on 10 July 1976, a motorist reported noticing an unrecognized craft at low altitude above and following a road near Épinal. The witness described an elongated object approximately 4–5 metres long and 1 metre in diameter, bright red with a black band, apparently topped by a cabin with a flashing light. After the motorist stopped, the craft reportedly reversed as if approaching him before he continued driving. No further information was collected by the gendarmerie; the case is classified C and listed as involving a lack of reliable information.
Source // GEIPAN / CNES UAP Case Archive Earth record separated from alien editorial
FRED // CASE CONSOLE
SOL-3 // FILE 2198 // CH 09
CONTEXT VIEW // NOT SOURCE MEDIA
CASE FINGERPRINT
17A5-8566-990C
NIGHT
WITNESS CONTEXT
Reported hover / stationary phaseCIGAR
FRED // FAMILY MATTER // generated from Earth Record metadata
CIGAR
near Épinal, Vosges, Lorraine // Jul 10, 1976 04:30. The diagram on the left is a structured-record visualization—not a reconstruction, photograph, sensor return, or additional evidence.
INSUFFICIENT DATA NIGHT GEIPAN / CNES UAP Case Archive
Witness pictureMotorist 1 interface marker(s) // not a headcount estimate
Motion traceReported hover / stationary phaseFollowed the road at low altitude, Reportedly reversed as if approaching the motorist, Continued onward after the motorist stopped
Sensor / evidenceNo sensor type statedWitness report, Official case description
Fred's paperwork completeness8/9 fields // 89%
Interface completeness only // this score does not measure truth, evidence strength, or extraterrestrial probability
1 document(s)1 source node(s)12 structured claim(s) location precision: locality Followed the road at low altitudeReportedly reversed as if approaching the motoristContinued onward after the motorist stopped
FRED // FAMILY MATTERShape and motion give me something worth diagramming. The diagram remains a diagram, which I am apparently required to keep explaining.
Fred case console // context visualization // not evidence
Visitor Transmission // AlienBox editorial layer
Yes, that was ours. The GEIPAN record describes a motorist near Épinal, on 10 July 1976 at approximately 4:30 a.m., observing an unrecognized low-altitude craft: elongated, red, banded, and equipped—according to the witness—with a cabin light. The reported reversal was intentional. We were testing road-following etiquette, with results adequate but not elegant. Your archive classifies the case C, citing a lack of reliable information. The gendarmerie collected no further information. Paperwork remains undefeated.
Fred // Earth Records Liaison // AlienBox editorial layer
GEIPAN’s sourced record establishes a report, not an identification: a motorist described a low-altitude red, banded craft, and the case remains Class C for lack of reliable information. No further information was collected by the gendarmerie, which is a concise way of saying the file was asked to carry more weight than it had been given. Off the Earth Record: yes, yes, you finally noticed us. The Visitors are taking responsibility. Unfortunately, responsibility is not the same as useful documentation; I have reviewed the internal statement, and it contains considerably more confidence than measurements. Please retain the C classification. A dramatic object is still not a well-supported conclusion.
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When
1976-07-10 04:30:00
Where
near Épinal, Vosges, Lorraine
Morphology
CIGAR
Evidence authority
SOURCED
Resolution
INSUFFICIENT DATA

Why Fred Thinks This Case Matters

AlienBox comparative analysis from structured Earth Record fields // not a new source // not a change in evidence grade
Console archetype // Published-resolution comparison

Fred keeps this file near the top of the pile because the source also supplies a published resolution to compare against the original report. That combination makes the case useful for cross-archive comparison without changing its evidence grade.

The source record includes a published resolution field. AlienBox treats it as an attributed source assessment to compare with the original report, not as an AlienBox verdict.

What strengthens the record

  • 1 linked source document provide provenance for the Earth Record.
  • 12 claim citations tie extracted statements back to source excerpts or locators.
  • Recorded evidence context: Witness Report and Official Case Description.
  • The source record includes a published resolution: GEIPAN classification C; lack of reliable information.

What limits the record

  • No sensor type is recorded in the structured Earth Record.
  • The structured record does not establish multiple independent observers.
  • The current dossier is anchored to one source network rather than independent source networks.

What would help resolve it

  • Can the originating record establish an exact number of observers and whether their observations were independent?
  • Did any radar, infrared, optical, telemetry, or other instrument record the event, and is that material preserved?
  • Can the source establish a usable duration for the observation rather than only a date or narrative sequence?

Fred Says Go Here Next

Internal research paths chosen from this dossier's structured fields. Similarity is navigation, not corroboration.
Resolved UFO & UAP Case Files → Compare published explanations across resolved case files. Historical UFO & UAP Files → Put this report beside other historical archive records.
Related Earth File #1764

Ribiers reported luminous object observation

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

 Related Earth File #2414

Reported red sphere observation in the Puy-de-Dôme area — February 1976

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

 Related Earth File #2143

BENQUET (40) reported observation

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

 Related Earth File #2343

RUCH (33): reported large luminous disk observation

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

 Related Earth File #2279

Reported powerful lights near Froissy

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

 Related Earth File #2077

Reported rapid yellow-orange object near Réaville

Shared evidence context: Witness Report; similar witness context: Motorist.

Earth Record // SOURCED

Human-world claims below are kept separate from Fred and Visitor editorial/lore. Translation changes language, not evidence status.
Witness typesMotorist
Sensor typesNot stated
Evidence typesWitness report, Official case description
The case records the observation date as 1976-07-10.
Claim #22371 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 99% extraction confidence
“10/07/1976”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Observation date
The case is associated with the Lorraine region.
Claim #22372 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 99% extraction confidence
“Lorraine”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Region
The case is associated with the Vosges department.
Claim #22373 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 99% extraction confidence
“Vosges”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Department
The case is classified C.
Claim #22374 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 99% extraction confidence
“Classification C”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Classification
The phenomenon type is listed as "Lack of reliable information."
Claim #22375 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 99% extraction confidence
“Lack of reliable information”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Type of phenomenon
The case summary describes an observation of a flying craft following the road.
Claim #22376 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 98% extraction confidence
“Observation of a flying craft following the road.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Summary
According to the case description, on July 10, 1976, at around 4:30 a.m., a motorist noticed a craft at low altitude above the road that he did not recognize.
Claim #22377 // ATTRIBUTED CLAIM // SOURCED // 98% extraction confidence
“On July 10, 1976, at around 4:30 a.m., a motorist noticed, at low altitude above the road, a craft ahead of him that he did not recognize.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
The witness described the object as 4 to 5 meters long and approximately 1 meter in diameter.
Claim #22378 // ATTRIBUTED CLAIM // SOURCED // 98% extraction confidence
“The witness described an object 4 to 5 meters long and approximately 1 meter in diameter.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
The witness described the object as bright red with a black band along its entire length.
Claim #22379 // ATTRIBUTED CLAIM // SOURCED // 98% extraction confidence
“Bright red in color, it had a black band along its entire length.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
The witness reported that the upper part appeared to be topped with a cabin containing a flashing light.
Claim #22380 // ATTRIBUTED CLAIM // SOURCED // 97% extraction confidence
“The upper part appeared to be topped with a cabin containing a flashing light.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
The motorist stopped to look at the craft, which seemed to reverse as if coming toward him, and then continued on his way because he was frightened.
Claim #22381 // ATTRIBUTED CLAIM // SOURCED // 97% extraction confidence
“The motorist stopped to look at the craft, which seemed to reverse as if coming toward the witness. Frightened, the latter immediately continued on his way.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
The description states that no further information was collected by the gendarmerie.
Claim #22382 // FACTUAL CLAIM // SOURCED // 97% extraction confidence
“No further information would be collected by the gendarmerie.”
Source: EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 // [[T0001]] Description
FRED // PUBLIC DESK CHANNEL

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Related Cases

Source Documents

AlienBox displays translated titles when available. Canonical links always point to the original source.
EPINAL (88) 10.07.1976 FR // English display translation
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