Night of 19–20 May 1986 / T160
Brazil’s Noite Oficial dos OVNIs
Southeastern and central Brazilian airspace
Witness account
A series of reported lights and radar detections on the night of 19 May led Brazilian authorities to scramble fighters from Santa Cruz and Anápolis. The episode became known as the Official Night of UFOs. Controllers and aircrews exchanged reports as they attempted to locate or approach the targets, and the Brazilian Air Force produced a report dated 2 June 1986.
Public record
Arquivo Nacional holds government documentation and later made pilot/controller recordings available. This is therefore a securely documented aviation response, not merely a retrospective civilian anecdote. Counts of radar points, reported lights, aircraft dispatched and separate observations describe different things and should not be combined into a count of proven physical craft.