Within Perth Cases
Why airport lights can look like UFOs
The Swanbourne report shows how bright approach lights near Perth Airport could look strange when seen head-on or partly hidden by trees.
On this page
- What was seen from Swanbourne
- How aircraft approach lights confuse distance and motion
- Why Perth Airport checks changed the interpretation
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Introduction
The Swanbourne sighting is a useful example of how ordinary airport lighting can produce a convincing UFO report. In August 1973, a witness in Perth’s western suburbs reported bright white or blue-white lights moving south before disappearing behind trees. The case appeared unusual at first glance, but the Royal Australian Air Force summary later recorded a straightforward possible explanation: aircraft approaching Perth Airport. [Internet Archive]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
What makes the Swanbourne report important in Western Australia’s UFO history is not the sighting itself but the mechanism behind it. It demonstrates what investigators sometimes call the airport perspective problem: when observers view aircraft landing lights or approach lighting almost head-on, judging distance, speed and direction becomes surprisingly difficult. A real aircraft can appear stationary, extremely bright, unusually large, or capable of strange manoeuvres even when following a normal landing path. [Wikipedia]WikipediaApproach lighting systemApproach lighting system
What was seen from Swanbourne
The 1973 RAAF sighting summary records a report from Swanbourne describing bright white or blue-white lights moving south and then disappearing behind trees. The official entry listed the possible cause as aircraft approaching Perth Airport. [Internet Archive]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
The description is notable because it contains several features often found in urban UFO reports:
- Very bright lights rather than a clearly visible aircraft body.
- Apparent movement that is difficult to judge.
- Loss of sight behind nearby trees or buildings.
- Observation from a suburban location rather than an isolated rural area.
None of these features automatically identify an aircraft. However, they are exactly the sort of circumstances in which perspective effects become important. A witness may be looking directly along an aircraft’s approach path rather than across it, making normal flight behaviour appear unusual. [Wikipedia]WikipediaApproach lighting systemApproach lighting system
How aircraft approach lights confuse distance and motion
The key lesson from Swanbourne is that people estimate movement by comparing an object’s position against the background. When an aircraft is flying almost directly towards an observer, very little sideways motion is visible. The aircraft may therefore seem to hover or creep slowly even though it is travelling at high speed. [Wikipedia]WikipediaApproach lighting systemApproach lighting system
Aircraft landing lights contribute to the effect. Modern landing lights are extremely bright and can be visible from great distances. When viewed head-on at night, the observer may see a brilliant light source without recognising it as an aircraft. [Wikipedia]WikipediaLanding lightsLanding lights
Several visual effects can occur simultaneously:
Apparent hovering.
An approaching aircraft may seem almost motionless because its movement is directed towards the observer rather than across the field of view. Only after several seconds does its position noticeably change.
Sudden acceleration.
As the aircraft draws closer, its angular movement increases. A light that appeared stationary can suddenly seem to speed up or change direction.
Brightness without visible structure.
The landing lights may be visible long before the aircraft’s wings, fuselage or navigation lights become distinguishable.
Abrupt disappearance.
Trees, buildings or terrain can hide the aircraft at a critical moment, creating the impression that the light vanished rather than simply passing behind an obstacle.
These effects are well known in aviation. Approach-light systems and landing lights are designed specifically to provide strong visual cues over long distances, and aviation safety literature recognises that bright runway and approach lighting can distort perceptions of distance, altitude and position. [Flight Safety Foundation+2Flight Training Central]flightsafety.orgFlight Safety FoundationFSF ALAR Briefing Note 5.3 – Visual IllusionsMarch 2, 2005 — – Approach lighting and runway lighting (including…
Why trees matter
One small detail in the Swanbourne report is especially revealing: the lights disappeared behind trees. [Internet Archive]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
From a UFO perspective, a light that suddenly vanishes can seem mysterious. From an aviation perspective, partial obstruction is exactly what might be expected in a suburban environment. If an observer sees only the brightest lights of an approaching aircraft through gaps in vegetation, the object can appear fragmented, intermittent or oddly shaped. Once the aircraft passes behind a line of trees, the visible light source disappears even though the aircraft continues along its normal approach path.
This is one reason investigators pay close attention to local geography rather than relying solely on witness descriptions.
Why Perth Airport checks changed the interpretation
The significance of the Swanbourne case lies in what happened after the report was examined. Rather than remaining an unexplained aerial phenomenon, it was assessed against local aviation activity. The resulting entry identified approaching aircraft as the likely source. [Internet Archive]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
That process reflects a broader pattern found in Perth-area UFO records from the 1970s. Investigators increasingly compared sightings with:
- Perth Airport flight operations. [archive.org]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
- Civil airline movements.
- Military aircraft activity associated with RAAF Base Pearce.
- Known flight paths and approach corridors.
When those checks were carried out, some apparently unusual reports acquired ordinary explanations. The witness had usually seen something real, but the identity of the object became less mysterious once aviation information was added. [Internet Archive]archive.orgInternet ArchiveFull text of "Australian UFO Files"Full text of "Australian UFO Files". See other formats. ASfi HAY… As soon as possib…
The Swanbourne report therefore sits in an important category within Western Australian UFO history: sightings that were initially puzzling but became understandable through aviation context rather than through new physical evidence.
What the Swanbourne case tells us about Perth-area UFO reports
The Swanbourne incident is less a story about an extraordinary object than a lesson in observation. It shows how bright lights near a major airport can generate sincere reports that sound unusual when described from the ground.
For readers examining Perth-area UFO claims, the case highlights three practical questions:
- Was the observer looking along an aircraft approach path?
- Were landing lights or airport approach lights visible from that location? [Wikipedia]WikipediaLanding lightsLanding lights
- Could trees, buildings or terrain have altered the apparent movement of the light?
The value of the Swanbourne report is that it demonstrates a repeatable mechanism rather than a one-off mystery. In a metropolitan area with busy air traffic, the combination of bright approach lighting, head-on viewing angles and partial obstruction can produce sightings that genuinely appear strange until airport operations are checked. That is why the case remains a useful reference point within the broader pattern of Perth-area sightings and ordinary aircraft explanations. [Internet Archive+2Wikipedia]archive.orgInternet Archive Full text of "Australian UFO Filesblue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi…
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Endnotes
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Source: archive.org
Title: Internet Archive Full text of “Australian UFO Files”
Link: https://archive.org/stream/AustralianUFOFiles/E1327_5-4-AIR_part%206-7_7061048_djvu.txtSource snippet
blue-white lights in ERE iiKDving south and disappeared behind trees Aircraft approaching Perth airport. 13 Aug 73 0950-1000 Rowville, Vi...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Approach lighting system
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approach_lighting_system -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Landing lights
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_lights -
Source: archive.org
Link: https://archive.org/stream/AustralianUFOFiles/PP959-1_5-3-AIR_1826380_djvu.txtSource snippet
Internet ArchiveFull text of "Australian UFO Files"Full text of "Australian UFO Files". See other formats. ASfi HAY... As soon as possib...
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Source: flightsafety.org
Link: https://flightsafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/alar_bn5-3-illusions.pdfSource snippet
Flight Safety FoundationFSF ALAR Briefing Note 5.3 -- Visual IllusionsMarch 2, 2005 — – Approach lighting and runway lighting (including...
Published: March 2, 2005
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Source: flighttrainingcentral.com
Title: be aware of these 5 night flying deceptions
Link: https://flighttrainingcentral.com/2022/12/be-aware-of-these-5-night-flying-deceptions/Source snippet
In this situation, the...Read more...
Additional References
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Source: faa.gov
Link: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/spatiald_visillus.pdfSource snippet
Spatial Disorientation: Visual IllusionsA final approach over a downsloping terrain with a flat runway may produce the visual illusion th...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO8W9zzD5MY/?hl=enSource snippet
ABC Perth on Instagram: ""It looked like they were in a triangle...A string of sightings of strange lights in the sky has sparked commun...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/perth/comments/1lfa6w9/lights_in_sky_near_airport/Source snippet
Lights in sky near airport: r/perthSaw these lights on the way back from the airport. They were periodically moving and joining together...
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Source: skybrary.aero
Link: https://skybrary.aero/sites/default/files/bookshelf/177.pdfSource snippet
Visual Illusions AwarenessWhen landing on a wet runway, peripheral vision of runway edge lights should be used to increase the depth perc...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1979612345859315/posts/2255549451598935/Source snippet
These lights help pilots identify the airport and align with the runway for landing...Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: Social media across Australia were alight with footage of what
Link: https://www.facebook.com/Timesnow/posts/social-media-across-australia-were-alight-with-footage-of-what-people-thought-we/1231644865673440/Source snippet
drones should not discount credible footage of potential UFOs. “The... ” * The beginnings of Australian government interest in official...
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Source: abc.net.au
Title: unexplained uap sightings reported across midwest wa
Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-24/unexplained-uap-sightings-reported-across-midwest-wa/105803264Source snippet
Unexplained lights in the sky sparks UAP chatter across...23 Sept 2025 — A string of sightings of strange lights in the sky has sparked...
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Source: northstarvfr.com
Title: aviation visual illusions pilots often experience
Link: https://northstarvfr.com/blogs/news/aviation-visual-illusions-pilots-often-experience?srsltid=AfmBOor7LZadmHOL28Xw3Er086TFfnLiAtxSr0CtvR_jcSXA6prjKW67Source snippet
8 Aviation Visual Illusions Pilots Often Experience20 Apr 2025 — Ground lighting, such as lights along a straight road, can look like app...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/10newsplus/posts/more-than-60-years-after-a-mass-ufo-sighting-in-melbourne-witnesses-are-still-st/122161955744899199/Source snippet
es form the backbone of Australia's rich and mysterious UFO history...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBs7Gd6yood/?hl=enSource snippet
outside Melbourne, Australia on 8th August 1993. #ufo #uap #et #...
Published: August 1993
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