An account posted to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) on October 26 described a silver, pill-shaped UFO that appeared almost stationary as the aircraft approached.

One pilot captured a photograph of the object, which he described during a follow-up interview with NUFORC investigator Ben Hansen. The encounter occurred on August 16.

'The surface was silver and highly reflective, like pure polished metal,' reads the investigator's report, which identified the pilot only as 'J.'

'J described the UAP as uniform, pill-shaped. There were no warps or creases on the surface, nor was it tapered at the bottom,' Hansen wrote.

The crew saw no other aircraft on their collision-warning system or flight-tracking app. According to the report, Cleveland Center air traffic controllers also told them no aircraft or unidentified objects were showing on radar.

J believed the object may have emerged from thunderstorm clouds the pilots were attempting to fly between.

He questioned whether a balloon could have survived those conditions, reporting that their own aircraft experienced engine icing and moderate turbulence after entering the clouds.

The NUFORC confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not detect an object on radar and found no database matches for planned balloon launches.

'Coupled with the witness's estimate that the object was at least 30 feet in height and uniformly shaped without tapering at the top or bottom, it presents some challenges to the balloon theory,'  Hansen said in the report.

At about 8pm ET, the pilots said they had reached 41,000 feet and were approaching a large thunderstorm, with clouds rising as high as 55,000 feet.

They decided flying through a gap between the clouds was the safest route. 

That was when J spotted a strange object ahead of them, slightly above their plane. 

He initially reported that it was about five miles away, but later estimated the distance was closer to two or three miles. 

The pilots estimated that the object was flying at about 43,000 feet, traveling in the opposite direction and passing to their left. 

He initially wondered whether it was a weather balloon. However, its even shape, with no narrowing at the bottom, made him question that explanation.