Cash-Landrum Incident — Texas Women Burned by UFO Heat Beam

On December 29, 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and Vickie's grandson Colby were driving home through the woods near Huffman, Texas when they encountered a large, diamond-shaped craft hovering over the road and emitting an intense column of fire. All three witnesses reported that the heat radiating from the object was overwhelming. Betty Cash, who stepped out of the car to observe the craft, received the greatest exposure. In the following days she developed severe radiation-like burns, blisters, and hair loss consistent with acute radiation syndrome. The object was accompanied by a large number of CH-47 Chinook helicopters—estimated at 23—suggesting military involvement. Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum filed a federal lawsuit against the US Government, but the suit was dismissed when the government denied knowledge of any such craft. Cash experienced lasting health problems and died in 1998, always maintaining her account was genuine. The case is unique as one of the few alleged UFO encounters resulting in documented physical injury to witnesses.