Project Blue Book Case #6148. On the night of October 27, 1958, two young men driving near Loch Raven Dam — a reservoir north of Baltimore — encountered a large, egg-shaped luminous object hovering over the bridge spanning the reservoir. As they approached, their car's electrical system failed — the engine died and the headlights went out.
The object was described as enormous, approximately 100 feet in diameter, glowing with a brilliant white light. It hovered at an altitude estimated at 100-150 feet above the bridge. After approximately 30-45 seconds, the object emitted a brilliant flash and shot upward with tremendous speed, disappearing from view. As the object departed, the car's electrical system spontaneously restored itself.
The Loch Raven Dam case became one of Blue Book's most famous electromagnetic-effects encounters — cases where the presence of an unidentified object appeared to interfere with vehicle electrical systems. Similar vehicle-interference reports were a hallmark of the 1957 wave, and the 1958 Loch Raven case extended this pattern.
The witnesses immediately drove to the nearest phone and called authorities. Ground Force radar at Fort Meade confirmed unusual activity in the area at the reported time. The witnesses' skin felt sunburned on the sides facing the object, suggesting exposure to infrared or ultraviolet radiation.
The physical effects — electrical interference, heat, and the flash at departure — elevated this case far beyond a visual sighting. Blue Book classified it as "Unknown," and it remains one of the most cited close-encounter cases in the program's history.