UFO NEWS: Many say that UFO sightings are a modern phenomena fueled by science fiction. But cases like the 1897 UFO crash in Aurora may tell us a different story. 1897 The UFO crash in Aurora, Texas Skeptics have long dismissed the account as a hoax but several sources confirm that during the 1896–1897 time frame, numerous UFO Sightings of a cigar-shaped mystery airship were reported across the United States. credit Eva Goncalves