National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena
The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) was a civilian UFO research organization active primarily from 1956 to 1980. It was the largest and most influential UFO research organization in the United States during the 1960s, conducting independent investigations of UFO reports and lobbying the federal government for greater transparency. NICAP emphasized rigorous documentation, witness credibility, and evidence-based research, distinguishing itself from more sensationalist or fringe UFO groups.
| Type | civilian research organization |
|---|---|
| Also known as | NICAP |
Formation and Leadership
NICAP was founded in 1956 by physicist Townsend Brown and aeronautical engineer Thomas R. Dolan, though it is best known for the tenure of retired Marine Corps Major Donald Keyhoe, who served as director from 1957 to 1969. Keyhoe had previously written extensively on UFOs and was a prominent advocate for the position that UFOs represented extraterrestrial craft and that the US government was deliberately suppressing evidence.
Objectives and Methods
NICAP sought to:
- Collect and analyze UFO reports from credible witnesses, particularly pilots, military personnel, and law enforcement
- Document patterns and characteristics of UFO sightings
- Lobby Congress and federal agencies for open hearings and declassification of UFO files
- Publish regular bulletins and case reports (The UFO Investigator)
NICAP's membership grew to tens of thousands during the 1960s, including numerous scientists, engineers, military officers, and pilots. It maintained regional subcommittees across the United States.
Role in the Betty and Barney Hill Case
NICAP was contacted by Barney Hill and Betty Hill following their September 19, 1961 encounter near Lancaster, New Hampshire. Barney Hill's report to NICAP included his explicit statement that the beings he encountered aboard the craft were "somehow not human" — a foundational document in the early abduction literature.
NICAP investigated the case and referred the Hills to Boston psychiatrist Dr. Benjamin Simon for hypnotic regression. The organization treated the Hills' account as one of the most significant and credible encounters on record.
Decline and Dissolution
NICAP's influence waned in the 1970s following internal disputes, financial difficulties, and Keyhoe's ouster. The organization was effectively defunct by 1980.
Legacy
NICAP's emphasis on credible witnesses and documentary rigor set a standard for civilian UFO research that influenced later organizations. Its archives have been absorbed into UFO research collections and remain an important historical resource.