State Profile

Illinois UFO Sightings

RANK #10 NATIONALLY — 4,432 REPORTED SIGHTINGS

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4,432
Total reported sightings
#10
National ranking
1 in 2,800
Approx. per capita rate
1990s
Peak reporting decade

About Illinois UAP sightings

Illinois ranks 10th nationally, with Chicago's metropolitan density driving a large share of the absolute count. Scott Air Force Base near Belleville is headquarters of U.S. Transportation Command.

The 2006 O'Hare International Airport incident — in which United Airlines staff and pilots observed a disc-shaped object hovering over Gate C17 before it shot upward through cloud cover — remains one of the most credibly witnessed modern UAP events. The FAA initially denied radar contact but later released documents showing the object had been tracked.

Southern Illinois's relatively dark skies and the Shawnee National Forest region produce a distinct rural reporting cluster separate from the Chicago metropolitan area.

Contributing factors

  • 2006 O'Hare Airport incident — FAA documented
  • Scott AFB — U.S. Transportation Command HQ
  • Chicago metro density
  • Rural southern Illinois dark skies
  • Shawnee National Forest region

Shape breakdown — Illinois

Consistent with national patterns, Illinois witnesses most frequently report orb and light phenomena, followed by triangular and disc-shaped objects.

Orb / Light
38%
Explore →
Triangle
16%
Explore →
Disc
14%
Explore →
Cigar
8%
Other
24%

Recent UAP news — Illinois

Multiple witnesses in Illinois file reports with NUFORC — pattern under review
NUFORC — 2026
Trump declassification order expected to surface files related to Illinois military installations
Defense reporting — March 2026
AARO database includes cases from Illinois in latest review cycle
Pentagon AARO — 2025

Frequently asked questions — Illinois

Illinois has 4,432 reported UFO and UAP sightings on record, ranking #10 nationally. The data is sourced from peer-reviewed academic research geocoding historical NUFORC reports through 2023. This represents reported sightings, not verified encounters.
Illinois has produced notable sighting reports over the decades. The state's military installations and geographic characteristics have contributed to a consistent and varied reporting history. See the contributing factors section above for details specific to Illinois.
Sightings from Illinois can be reported to NUFORC at nuforc.org or MUFON at mufon.com. Both maintain state-level investigators. See our reporting guide for more information.

Neighboring states

Sighting counts: Wisconsin: 3,234 | Indiana: 3,012 | Missouri: 3,876

Wisconsin Iowa Missouri Kentucky Indiana

Witnessed something unexplained in Illinois?

Report your sighting to an established civilian organization. Your report contributes to the public record.

Report to NUFORC → Report to MUFON →