Tehran Incident (1976)
Night of September 19, 1976: the Iranian Air Force scrambled two F-4s toward a brilliant object over Tehran. On approach, the jets' electronics and weapons failed, then recovered once the object moved away. Documented in an official memo circulated up to the White House.
Witnesses
Fighter pilots, radar
Why it endures
Two fighters electronically neutralized, recorded in an official military document.
Official version (contested)
The military memo itself concludes it was unidentified. Never explained.