Brief
1978 disappearance of Frederick Valentich
The claims the writer was given for 1978 disappearance of Frederick Valentich, in the order they were given.
1
Frederick Valentich was a 20-year-old Melbourne-based pilot who disappeared while piloting a Cessna aircraft over Bass Strait in 1978.
“Twenty-year-old Melbourne-based pilot Frederick Valentich, who disappeared while piloting a tiny Cessna aircraft over Bass Strait in 1978.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch37:5160-5293 administrative
2
In October 1978, 20-year-old Melbourne-based pilot Frederick Valentich disappeared while piloting a Cessna aircraft over Bass Strait on a flight to King Island.
“One reason for my scepticism was because two months earlier, in October 1978, across the Tasman Ocean in Australia, a 20-year-old Melbourne-based pilot Frederick Valentich had disappeared while piloting a tiny Cessna aircraft over Bass Strait on a flight to King Island.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch6:5354-5617 administrative
3
Shortly before he and his aircraft disappeared, Frederick Valentich was recorded telling Melbourne air traffic control that he was being followed by a huge illuminated shiny metal craft hovering above him.
“Shortly before he and his aircraft disappeared, Valentich was recorded telling Melbourne air traffic control that he was being followed by a huge illuminated shiny metal craft hovering above.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch6:5625-5810 testimony first hand
4
Shortly before he and his aircraft disappeared, Frederick Valentich told Melbourne air traffic control that he was being followed by a huge illuminated shiny metal craft hovering above him.
“Shortly before he and his aircraft disappeared, Valentich was recorded telling Melbourne air traffic control that he was being followed by a huge illuminated shiny metal craft hovering above him.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch6:5625-5816 testimony first hand
5
Frederick Valentich's last recorded words, as his engine began rough idling, were that the object was hovering and was not an aircraft.
“Some of his dramatic last words, as his engine began rough idling, were: ‘It’s hovering and it’s not an aircraft.’”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch6:5821-5925 testimony first hand
6
Frederick Valentich's radio transmission was interrupted by strange pulsing sounds and then his radio cut out.
“Then the transmission was interrupted by strange pulsing sounds and his radio cut out.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch6:5936-6018 observation
7
Frederick Valentich disappeared in a light aircraft over Bass Strait shortly before the 1978 Kaikoura lights incident.
“shortly before the Kaikōura incident, there'd been an incident involving a young fellow called Frederick Valentich in Australia. He disappeared. He disappeared in a light plane over Bass Strait”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:11:51.0-00:12:02.6 testimony
8
Frederick Valentich flew out of Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne on the flight during which he disappeared.
“he flew out of Moorabbin in Melbourne, Melbourne Airport”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:12:10.7-00:12:12.8 testimony
9
The official explanation for Frederick Valentich's 1978 disappearance remains that he crashed into the water, possibly while flying upside down.
“the official explanation to this day is he crashed into the water. Maybe he was flying upside down.”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:12:46.9-00:12:52.0 testimony
10
Ross Coulthart considers the official inverted-flight crash explanation implausible for the type of Cessna light aircraft Frederick Valentich was flying.
“There's a whole lot of reasons why that's not plausible for that particular type of Cessna aircraft.”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:12:52.4-00:12:56.3 opinion first hand
11
Ross Coulthart regards the farmer's account of Frederick Valentich's aircraft being commandeered by a flying saucer as apocryphal hearsay.
“That's one from a farmer, and it's an apocryphal story because it's hearsay.”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:13:09.0-00:13:12.1 opinion first hand
12
A photograph exists of a distant object taken at sunset shortly before Frederick Valentich's 1978 disappearance over Bass Strait.
“there's a photograph. There's a photograph of a very distant object shortly before. ... At sunset.”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:13:16.3-00:13:22.8 testimony first hand
13
Chris Ramsay considers the object in the sunset photograph associated with the Frederick Valentich disappearance to be a fly buzzing in front of the camera.
“I see a fly. I see a fly buzzing in front of the camera and you kind of see its wings.”
The DANGEROUS Truth About UFOs - Ross Coulthart | DEBRIEFED ep. 76 2026-02-20 00:13:27.3-00:13:32.0 opinion first hand