What happened
Valentich reported a large aircraft circling him at speed with four bright lights. "As it's flying past it's a long shape," he said, with a green light and a metallic look. He then reported rough engine idling. His last words were that the strange aircraft was hovering on top of him and "it's not an aircraft," followed by an unidentified metallic noise. No trace of him or the plane was found in the search, and the Department of Transport report could not determine a cause. Proposed explanations include disorientation and a conjunction of planets and bright stars forming an elongated shape.