Quick Info
April 24, 1964, Socorro, New Mexico. Patrolman Lonnie Zamora chased a roaring, egg-shaped craft that landed in the desert. He saw two small figures in white coveralls beside it. The object took off with a roar and flame, leaving scorched earth and four landing pad marks.
Dozens of investigators, including Project Blue Book, confirmed the physical traces. This remains one of the most credible close encounters of the second kind ever documented.
Timeline of Events – April 24, 1964
The encounter unfolded in a short, intense burst on a clear Friday afternoon. Times are approximate, based on Zamora’s report, police logs, and witness statements.
- 5:00–5:10 p.m. Lonnie Zamora, Socorro Police Department patrolman, is on routine patrol near the edge of town. He is chasing a speeding driver on Highway 85 when he hears a loud roar and sees a flame in the sky to the southwest, near the dynamite shack area.
- 5:10–5:12 p.m. Zamora abandons the chase and drives toward the roar/flame. He sees a shiny object descending with a blue-orange flame. He thinks it is a helicopter or plane crashing and radios headquarters that he is checking it out.
- 5:12–5:14 p.m. Zamora drives up a rough dirt road toward the arroyo. The roar stops. He sees a shiny, white, egg-shaped object resting on the ground on four legs. Two small figures in white coveralls are near it. They appear to be inspecting or working on the craft. They are startled by Zamora and run toward the object.
- 5:14–5:15 p.m. Zamora parks 100–150 feet away, gets out, and starts walking toward the object. He draws his pistol but does not point it. The figures disappear inside or behind the craft. A loud roar starts again, blue-orange flame beneath the object. Zamora thinks it is about to explode and dives behind his car. He hears two loud slams (like doors closing).
- 5:15–5:16 p.m. The object lifts off straight up with a roar, no visible flame after initial burst. It hovers briefly, then accelerates horizontally to the southwest, disappearing over the mountains. No smoke trail, no sound after the initial roar. Zamora radios headquarters: "It’s gone."
- 5:16–5:20 p.m. Zamora approaches the landing site. He finds four circular landing pad marks in the ground, scorched vegetation, and a small fire burning in the bushes. He calls for backup. Socorro Police Sergeant Sam Chavez and other officers arrive.
- 5:20–6:00 p.m. Officers and firefighters secure the site. They observe the pad marks (each about 30 cm diameter, 8–10 cm deep), scorched bushes, and fused sand. No wreckage or bodies. The fire is extinguished. Zamora is shaken but unharmed.
- Evening – Night Word spreads. Local media arrives. Witnesses report seeing the object earlier that day. Project Blue Book is notified. Investigators arrive over the next days.
April 24, 1964 – A Quiet Patrol Turns Into History
Lonnie Zamora was a 31-year-old patrolman with the Socorro Police Department. He was known as reliable, no-nonsense, and not prone to exaggeration. On April 24, 1964, he was chasing a speeding driver on Highway 85 when he heard a loud roar and saw blue-orange flame in the sky to the southwest, near the old dynamite shack area.
He assumed a plane crash or helicopter issue and drove toward it. The roar grew louder, then stopped. As he crested a hill, he saw a shiny, white, egg-shaped object resting on the ground on four legs in a small arroyo. Two small figures in white coveralls were near it. They appeared to be inspecting or working on the craft. They were startled by Zamora and ran toward the object.
"It was egg-shaped, shiny white, no windows, no doors I could see. It was resting on four legs. The two figures were small, about 1.2 metres tall, dressed in white coveralls. They looked at me, then ran around to the other side."
– Lonnie Zamora (official report & interviews, 1964–1965)
Zamora parked 100–150 feet away, got out, and started walking toward the object. He drew his pistol but did not point it. The figures disappeared inside or behind the craft. A loud roar started again, blue-orange flame beneath the object. Zamora thought it was about to explode and dove behind his car. He heard two loud slams (like doors closing).
"The flame was blue and orange, very bright. It was roaring like a blast furnace. I thought it was going to blow up. I hit the dirt behind my car and covered my head. Then the roar stopped, and I heard two loud metallic slams."
– Lonnie Zamora (1964 testimony)
The object lifted off straight up with a roar, no visible flame after the initial burst. It hovered briefly, then accelerated horizontally to the southwest, disappearing over the mountains. No smoke trail, no sound after the initial roar. Zamora radioed headquarters: "It’s gone."
The Landing Site – Physical Evidence
Zamora approached the site. He found four circular landing pad marks in the ground (each about 30 cm diameter, 8–10 cm deep), scorched vegetation, and a small fire burning in the bushes. The marks formed a quadrilateral pattern consistent with a craft resting on legs. The ground inside the marks was fused and hardened. No wreckage or bodies were found.
"The ground was scorched and fused. The bushes were burned. The pad marks were deep and perfectly round. It looked like something heavy had rested there."
– Officer Sam Chavez (arrived shortly after)
Investigators later measured radiation levels (slightly elevated but not dangerous), collected soil samples (showing unusual mineral changes), and photographed everything. The site was secured for days.
Project Blue Book & Official Investigation
Project Blue Book sent investigators within days. They interviewed Zamora (described as credible and unshakable), Chavez, other officers, and locals who saw the object earlier. Physical traces were analysed. The official conclusion: "Unidentified." Major Hector Quintanilla (Blue Book head) later said it was one of the best cases they had.
"This was a legitimate UFO sighting. The witness was credible, the physical evidence was there, and no explanation fits."
– Major Hector Quintanilla (Blue Book files, 1964)
Legacy in 2026
Over 62 years later, Socorro 1964 remains one of the most credible close encounters of the second kind: a single highly credible witness (police officer), physical traces (landing marks, scorched earth), multiple corroborating sightings, and no conventional explanation. It influenced countless later investigations and is still cited as a benchmark case. Lonnie Zamora never changed his story and lived quietly until his death in 2009. The site is now marked with a historical plaque.
Key Videos and Interviews
More interviews, documentaries, and witness accounts on YouTube
Project Blue Book & Official Investigation
Project Blue Book sent investigators within days. They interviewed Zamora (described as credible and unshakable), Chavez, other officers, and locals who saw the object earlier. Physical traces were analysed. The official conclusion: "Unidentified." Major Hector Quintanilla (Blue Book head) later said it was one of the best cases they had.
"This was a legitimate UFO sighting. The witness was credible, the physical evidence was there, and no explanation fits."
– Major Hector Quintanilla (Blue Book files, 1964)
Legacy in 2026
Over 62 years later, Socorro 1964 remains one of the most credible close encounters of the second kind: a single highly credible witness (police officer), physical traces (landing marks, scorched earth), multiple corroborating sightings, and no conventional explanation. It influenced countless later investigations and is still cited as a benchmark case. Lonnie Zamora never changed his story and lived quietly until his death in 2009. The site is now marked with a historical plaque.
