Fife Symington
J. Fife Symington III (born 1945) served as the Governor of Arizona from 1991 to 1997 and is one of the most credible and prominent witnesses to the Phoenix Lights event of March 13, 1997. A licensed pilot, Symington observed a large, silent, delta-shaped craft moving over the Phoenix area that evening, and his subsequent efforts to seek an official explanation — and his public rejection of the Air Force's flare explanation — made him a significant figure in UAP disclosure discourse.
| Role | Governor of Arizona (1991–1997); Phoenix Lights witness |
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Background
Symington served in the US Air Force and later graduated from Harvard University. His career in Arizona real estate preceded his entry into politics. He served two terms as governor before resigning in 1997 following a federal fraud conviction (later overturned by a federal appeals court and subsequently pardoned by President Clinton).
Phoenix Lights Witness
On the evening of March 13, 1997, Symington observed the Phoenix Lights firsthand. He described seeing a large, structured delta-shaped craft moving silently above Phoenix, with "very distinctive leading edge" and "enormous lights." Reporting on it publicly at the time, he famously staged a mock press conference in which an aide dressed as an alien was "arrested" — a gesture he later expressed regret over, saying he had intended to defuse public anxiety but in retrospect minimized a genuinely significant event.
Symington subsequently requested an official inquiry from the US Air Force, which was denied. In a 2007 editorial for CNN he wrote directly about his experience:
"I'm a pilot and I know just about every machine that flies. It was bigger than anything I've ever seen. It remains a great mystery."
He stated he observed a structured, solid craft — not flares or aircraft formations — and expressed clear dissatisfaction with the Air Force's official explanation that the lights were flares dropped by A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft during a training exercise.
Legacy
Symington's willingness to speak publicly about his sighting, despite the political and professional risks, contributed meaningfully to the credibility of the Phoenix Lights case. His status as a licensed pilot and sitting governor at the time of the event made his testimony difficult to dismiss on grounds of misidentification or credibility.