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FACT BRIEF

Were reports of UFO sightings on Nov. 29, 2024 in Arizona substantiated?

By Carmela Guaglianone
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NO

There is no evidence that lights seen Nov. 29 over Bullhead City, Ariz. were unidentified flying objects, or UFOs.

Geospatial analysis by science writer Mick West, an expert in debunking UFOs, suggests the lights—which went viral in a TikTok video—were projecting from a hill, not flying. The lights align with roads and were likely coming from cars or off-road vehicles, West said.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which fields pilots’ reports related to suspicious flying objects, did not have information on the claim, nor did the Department of Defense, the central agency for reports on phenomena like UFOs. Local law enforcement received one call regarding mysterious lights on that date but did not investigate.

The Southwest is known for UFO sightings as a result of incidents like the mysterious “Phoenix Lights,” which moved over Nevada and Arizona in 1997.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Mick West Bullhead Arizona UFOs - Explained
Bullhead City Press Officer Email Correspondence with Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.pdf
Federal Aviation Administration Email Correspondence with Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.pdf
Department of Defense Press Officer Email Correspondence with Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.pdf
Axios Phoenix Lights became Arizona UFO legend in 1997
FBI Roswell UFO Part 1 of 1
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.