Within Aviation Cases
What Was the Silver Object Beside the Plane?
A pilot's close-pass report near Rhode Island remains unresolved because no radar track, image or measured distance has surfaced.
On this page
- What the pilot and controller actually reported
- Which details were amplified or muddled in coverage
- Ordinary explanations and the missing evidence
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The Rhode Island “silver canister” encounter attracted attention because it came from a pilot speaking directly to air traffic control rather than from a second-hand story. In the reported incident, publicised in late 2025 after aviation audio circulated online, a pilot flying at roughly 3,500 feet near Rhode Island described a small silver cylindrical object close to the aircraft’s wingtip. The sighting occurred in controlled airspace and was reported in real time, giving the case more credibility than many anonymous UFO claims. Yet the central fact about the event is also the reason it remains unresolved: there is very little evidence beyond the pilot’s own observation and the recorded radio exchange.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Within Rhode Island’s history of aviation-related UFO reports, the case stands out not because it proves anything extraordinary, but because it illustrates how a potentially serious flight-safety observation can remain unidentified when no radar track, photograph, recovered object, or independent measurement becomes available.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
What the Pilot and Controller Actually Reported
The most important evidence is the recorded conversation itself. According to reports based on the air traffic control audio, the pilot described a “small silver canister” that appeared to be near the aircraft while the plane was flying at approximately 3,500 feet. The pilot stated that the object seemed to be “standing still” and was located off the wingtip. When asked whether it might be attached to anything, the pilot reportedly replied that it did not appear to be tethered and seemed to be hovering on its own.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Reports identified the aircraft as a Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II. The controller did not provide an identification for the object and there is no public indication that air traffic control had a corresponding radar target associated with the sighting. The exchange ended with a light-hearted remark from the controller that later became widely quoted in media coverage: “Good luck with the aliens.”[nypost.com]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
The value of this evidence lies in its immediacy. The pilot was not recounting a memory months or years later. The observation was reported during flight operations, reducing some of the distortion that can occur in later retellings. At the same time, the recording documents only what the witness believed he saw. It does not independently verify the object’s size, distance, speed, or physical nature.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Which Details Were Amplified or Muddled in Coverage
As the story spread through news sites, social media posts and video channels, several details became less clear.
One common misunderstanding is the distance between the aircraft and the object. Some retellings implied that the object was only a few feet away. The publicly reported audio does not provide a measured separation. The pilot described the object as being near the wingtip, but estimating distance to a small object in open sky is notoriously difficult, especially during a brief encounter. Without range data, nobody can confidently determine whether the object was a few feet away, hundreds of feet away, or farther still.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Another point that became exaggerated is the idea that the object was definitely hovering. The pilot reported that it appeared stationary relative to the aircraft. In aviation, however, an object can seem motionless because of geometry and relative motion. Balloons, distant aircraft, drones, birds and even airborne debris can sometimes appear fixed in space for short periods depending on viewing angle and closing speed. The pilot’s description is genuine evidence of perception, but not direct proof of actual hovering.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Coverage also sometimes transformed the event into a confirmed “UFO beside a jet”. In reality, the reports describe a private aircraft rather than an airline jet, and the available information does not establish the object’s identity, origin or behaviour beyond the brief visual observation.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Why the Evidence Remains Thin
For a pilot encounter to become a strong aviation UFO case, investigators normally look for multiple forms of corroboration. These can include:
- Radar detections.
- Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data.
- Cockpit photographs or video.
- Ground witnesses.
- Additional pilot reports.[nypost.com]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
- Physical recovery of an object.
- Official investigative findings.
None of those have emerged publicly in connection with the Rhode Island silver-canister report.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
This absence matters because human observers are very good at noticing unusual objects but much less reliable at judging size, distance and speed without reference points. Modern scientific approaches to unidentified aerial phenomena place heavy emphasis on multiple sensor types precisely because visual observations alone rarely allow firm conclusions.[arXiv]arxiv.orgThe Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-Based ObservatoriesMay 29, 2023…
As a result, the case sits in an awkward middle ground. The witness appears sincere, the report was made in real time, and the object was not immediately identified. Yet the available evidence does not allow investigators to determine whether the object was a balloon, drone, airborne debris, a misjudged conventional object, or something else entirely.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Ordinary Explanations and the Missing Evidence
The simplest explanations cannot be ruled out because the key measurements are missing.
A small metallic balloon is one possibility. A reflective balloon can appear silver, can seem stationary under some viewing conditions, and may not be obvious on radar. The pilot reportedly stated that no tether was visible, but that observation alone does not eliminate a balloon.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
A drone is another possibility. Small drones can be difficult to detect visually and may not appear on conventional air traffic displays. However, no public evidence has emerged linking a drone operation to the sighting, and the available reports do not provide enough information to determine whether a drone could account for the observed appearance.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Airborne debris or a lightweight object carried by atmospheric conditions is also conceivable. The problem is that the object’s actual distance is unknown. If it was farther away than it appeared, its behaviour could have been very different from the pilot’s initial impression.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
What would strengthen the case? A radar return corresponding to the sighting, a contemporaneous photograph, confirmation from another aircraft, or data showing unusual motion. None of those have surfaced publicly. Consequently, the encounter remains unidentified in the narrow sense that the witness could not identify the object, but it does not provide strong evidence for an extraordinary explanation.[nypost.com]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
How the Case Fits Rhode Island’s Aviation-UFO Record
Within Rhode Island’s broader pattern of pilot encounters around airports and military airspace, the silver-canister incident is noteworthy because it combines a credible witness, a preserved air traffic control recording and a potential flight-safety concern. Those features make it more substantial than many local UFO stories based solely on distant lights or retrospective testimony.[New York Post]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
At the same time, the case demonstrates a recurring lesson in aviation UFO investigations: a reliable witness does not automatically produce reliable measurements. The pilot’s report is the strongest piece of evidence, but it is also almost the only piece of evidence. That is why the encounter remains unresolved rather than persuasive. The object was seen, reported and discussed with air traffic control, yet the absence of independent data leaves its true nature unknown.[nypost.com]nypost.comIt was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA…
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to What Was the Silver Object Beside the Plane?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Re...
Strong match for pilot encounter pages.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects
Historical comparison for official investigations.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.
Selected fromUFO poster oneBay.co.uk.
Endnotes
1.
Source: arxiv.org
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.18566
Source snippet
The Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-Based ObservatoriesMay 29, 2023...
Published: May 29, 2023
2.
Source: arxiv.org
Title: arXiv The New Science of Unidentified Aerospace-Undersea Phenomena (UAP)
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.06794
3.
Source: nypost.com
Link:https://nypost.com/2025/12/21/us-news/pilot-reports-silver-cannister-ufo-to-air-traffic-control-told-good-luck-with-the-aliens/
Source snippet
It was right off our wingtip. Small silver canister,” said the pilot, flying a Piper PA...
4.
Source: foxnews.com
Link:https://www.foxnews.com/us/pilot-reports-ufo-hovering-beside-jet-leaving-air-traffic-control-stunned-good-luck-aliens
Source snippet
Fox NewsPilot reports UFO hovering beside jet, leaving air traffic...22 Dec 2025 — Pilot reportedly told ATC the cylindrical object appe...
5.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Title: The Times of India Pilot spots mysterious object hovering beside jet
Link:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/pilot-spots-mysterious-object-hovering-beside-jet-air-traffic-control-responds-good-luck-with-the-aliens/articleshow/126131426.cms
Source snippet
The encounter was captured in communication audio with air traffic control, where the incident was acknowledged without urgency, and a co...
6.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/posts/a-privatejet-pilot-flying-over-rhodeisland-reported-a-bizarre-encounter-with-a-s/1286722180168633/
Additional References
7.
Source: fox4news.com
Title: pilot reports ufo beside jet atc jokes good luck aliens
Link:https://www.fox4news.com/news/pilot-reports-ufo-beside-jet-atc-jokes-good-luck-aliens
Source snippet
FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort WorthPilot reports UFO beside jet, ATC jokes: 'Good luck with the...23 Dec 2025 — The object was reportedly seen...
8.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/FOX10Phoenix/posts/a-newly-resurfaced-aviation-audio-clip-shared-online-has-drawn-attention-after-a/1196593622674762/
Source snippet
2025, a pilot flying a Piper PA-32RT- 300T at 3,500 feet over...Read more...
9.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/NewportBuzz/videos/-a-routine-flight-over-rhode-island-took-an-unsettling-turn-when-a-private-pilot/3267646840083402/
Source snippet
l, silver, cylinder-shaped object was hovering near his right wingtip...
10.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJJCHOMajGo
Source snippet
Pilot Reports a UFO Just Flying By his Plane | "Creepy!"...
11.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Military pilot close encounter with UFO: ‘This is going to sound weird’
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF99eQk1VSU
Source snippet
UFO mystery: Does NYC sighting resemble 2004 flying object? | Banfield...
12.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ToM6rhcEY
Source snippet
Pilot Spots UFO Zoom Past Mid-Flight (S5) | The Proof Is Out There...
13.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Pilot Reports a UFO Just Flying By his Plane | “Creepy!”
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7AgcmoSecg
Source snippet
Military pilot close encounter with UFO: 'This is going to sound weird'...
14.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/NEWSMAX/posts/a-resurfaced-air-traffic-control-recording-has-renewed-attention-on-a-bizarre-mi/1370180851821180/
15.
Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSnIOiXjg6t/
16.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/nyposttrending/posts/pilot-reports-silver-cannister-ufo-feet-from-his-plane-during-creepy-air-traffic/1293453346149858/?locale=de_DE