American federal services, including the FBI, are conducting an intensive search for 68-year-old retired Major General William Neil McCasland. The military officer, who commanded the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base associated with UFO research, went missing at the end of February 2026 in New Mexico.

Disappearance in Albuquerque

General McCasland left his home on February 27, 2026, and has not contacted his family since.

FBI involvement

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the search operation alongside local police, due to the missing person's rank.

UFO speculation

The general's past as commander of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has sparked numerous conspiracy theories regarding his knowledge of UAP phenomena.

High-level security clearances

Experts point out that the missing man had access to the most closely guarded technological secrets of the US military.

American federal services are conducting an intensive search for retired US Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland, who went missing at the end of February 2026. The 68-year-old military officer left his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on February 27 around 11:00 AM for a walk and has not made any contact with his family since. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the search operation alongside local services. The case is of particular interest to the media due to the missing man's career path, which involved high-ranking positions in US military research structures. Prior to his disappearance, William Neil McCasland worked as the Director of Technology for the private company Applied Technology Associates. The retired general is closely linked to the topic of unidentified anomalous phenomena due to his role as commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) from 2011 to 2013. This laboratory is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, which in popular culture and conspiracy theories is considered a storage site for extraterrestrial remains, including those from the alleged Roswell incident. Polish media point out that McCasland, as the head of this unit, may have possessed unique knowledge about UAP, adding an extra layer of mystery to his disappearance. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has been at the center of ufologists' interest for decades, mainly due to Project Blue Book, the official UFO studies conducted by the US Air Force from 1952 to 1969. It is there that materials from the 1947 Roswell crash were allegedly sent, making the facility a key element of American folklore related to alien civilizations. William Neil McCasland, an aerospace engineer and high-ranking officer, managed research budgets counted in billions of dollars, overseeing the Pentagon's most advanced technological projects. The services are not currently providing detailed information on the progress of the investigation or potential motives for the disappearance, focusing on combing areas near the military officer's residence. The missing man's family and FBI representatives are appealing to anyone with any information to help locate the 68-year-old. Although official statements focus on the humanitarian and search aspects, numerous questions are arising in the public sphere about the safety of the former commander of such a strategic research unit. Disappearance of General William Neil McCasland: February 27, 11:00 AM — Last sighting; early March — No contact; March 12 — FBI involvement

Mentioned People

  • William Neil McCasland — Aerospace engineer, retired US Air Force Major General and former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory; currently Director of Technology at Applied Technology Associates.