Travis Walton incident

The Travis Walton incident was an alleged alien abduction of American forestry worker Travis Walton on November 5, 1975 in the Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests near Heber, Arizona. It is widely regarded as a hoax, even by believers of UFOs and alien abductions.^[1][2][3]

Walton was employed by future brother-in-law Mike Rogers on a federal contract. On October 20, Rogers acknowledged in writing that the job had fallen seriously behind schedule and might not be completed by the deadline.^[4] That night, Walton and Rogers watched The UFO Incident, a movie about the alleged abduction of Barney and Betty Hill. After the broadcast, Walton reportedly discussed the possibility of being taken aboard a flying saucer.^[4]

On November 5, the crew reported Walton missing. They recalled driving back after sunset when Rogers stopped the truck and Walton walked into the forest towards an overhead light. Walton was illuminated by a beam of light, and Rogers drove away with the others. Police organized search parties that were called off at the insistence of Travis's mother. After five days and six hours, Walton called his sister from a phone booth in Heber.^[5][6][7] Walton sold his story to tabloid The National Enquirer, which published the account and awarded the crew a $5,000 prize.^[8] In 1978, he wrote The Walton Experience, which was adapted into the 1993 film Fire in the Sky.^[9]

Science writers Philip J. Klass and Michael Shermer highlight a potential motive for the hoax was to provide an "Act of God" that would allow the crew to avoid a steep financial penalty from the Forestry Service for failing to complete their contract by the deadline.^[10][1] In 2021, Mike Rogers said the incident had been staged but later retracted his statement.^[11] After 2021 interviews with Rogers, researchers proposed that a nearby fire lookout tower and its spotlight were used to create the illusion of a flying saucer shining a beam of light on Walton.^[12]