Pilot flying civilian aircraft tries to see how close he can get to Area 51 before he's told to get out of there
Published on May 26, 2026 at 8:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on May 26, 2026 at 8:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This pilot decided to conduct a little in-air experiment by flying a civilian aircraft as close as he could go to Area 51.
Area 51 has fascinated people for decades, inspiring no end of theories.
This stunt was conducted for National Geographic’s docuseries ‘Area 51: The CIA’s Secret’.
The point of the test was to see how close the pilot could get to the mysterious site before he was told to leave.
How close the pilot got to Area 51
Released in 2014, ‘Area 51: The CIA’s Secret’ delves into one of the most secretive places on Earth.
This testing facility out in the Nevada desert has become the subject of so much speculation.
And if what proceeded in the documentary is anything to go by, that intrigue won’t be going anywhere any time soon.
Richard Coe, a former US Air Force pilot, provides legal tours of the perimeter of Area 51.
As part of the documentary, he would be taking things a step further, by flying towards Groom Lake.
At an altitude of 10,000 feet, he was 12 miles out from the base when it finally came into view.
He’d already been on the Air Force’s radar before this point, but it was only at this point that someone spoke through the radio.
“Say destination. Are you familiar with restricted airspace?” the voice asked.
Barely leaving space for Coe to respond, the voice instructed: “Turn north immediately, sir, for restricted airspace.”
Coe obliged and changed course.
While Coe – and the viewers – never got a close up look at Area 51, this interaction said it all.
This is a location that is tightly kept under wraps.
It’s no wonder people can’t stop talking about it.
This has to be one of the most talked about locations in the world
For years, this was considered the domain of conspiracy theorists.
But then after decades of speculation, declassified CIA documents revealed the truth about what went down there.
Area 51 is roughly 100 miles from Las Vegas, and sits in the center of the Nevada National Security Site, which itself lies within the even larger Nellis Air Force Range.
The site, which has been historically famed for UFO sightings, was actually used as an aerial testing ground for US government projects.
However, if you thought this admission would do anything to dim the buzz of speculation, then you’d be dead wrong.
In the 13 years since that document dropped, people have been more intent on uncovering Area 51 secrets than ever.
One man went there at night, only to be met with strange vehicles along the way.
There was a similar reception for this man who purchased land on the border of Area 51.
Will we ever know all the secrets of Area 51? Probably not.
Does it make for interesting conversation? Absolutely.
Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
