Unsolved Files: UFO Shaped Like Sombrero??? Appears Over Austin

• When: September 20th, 1998
• Where: Austin
• What: Small black "sombrero"-shaped UFO moving up and down on a linear trajectory

A self-proclaimed MUFON reporter had their own sighting to share (case 85641), but one from over a decade ago. Although the witness believes the sighting to be a pretty dull one, I disagree and thought it was worth sharing with the community here:

I was coming back from a walk with my friend Valerie, we were walking back to the Austin Automation Center, which was part of a huge federal complex in Austin, TX. We both looked up and saw a small flat black probe type of flying saucer which was flopping gently thru the air on a definite trajectory over the Federal complex, less than 100 yards over us, we watched it as it flew directly over us and on towards the fed complex. My first thought was it looked like a probe, but even more surprising was my thought of how unremarkable it was. I've always been a UFO enthusiast and to have that thought was quite strange for me, even looking back now so many years, it still feels literally unremarkable. I asked my friend; "Should we call Bergstrom?" Bergstrom was a local AFB and also had reservists there. She remarked; "No, it's not a big deal". My thoughts were; 'yeah, not a big deal - it's just a small flat black, perfectly smooth little flying saucer which isn't even big enough to house a person, let alone be dangerous, and seems to be just motoring along.' So I silently agreed with her that it was not a big deal and getting Bergstrom on the phone, to explain it would have sucked - I mean literally sucked, I imagined the whole men in black scenario and my brief consideration to alert Bergstrom to it, was exactly that brief and barely considered.  Honestly I just didn't even consider reporting it - it was literally that unremarkable. 

The craft or probe, whatever it was, was a small flat black sombrero shaped object that flopped thru the air, but on a definite trajectory. I actually worked at the Austin Automation Center at the time as a computer programmer, and I usually went on walks twice a day, sometimes with my friend Valerie and sometimes not. I noticed it was flopping thru the air on a trajectory over the Federal complex. As far as UFO sightings go, I'd have to say it was pretty boring and afterwards (many years actually) I thought; 'are you effing kidding me... my first and perhaps only UFO sighting and it's some boring small black saucer thing, that's hardly worth mentioning."

I just rejoined MUFON, so I guess I'm feeling obligated to mention my one and only ultra dull experience. At least that I consciously know about. But I do know one thing, I saw it and so did my friend Valerie. We mentioned alerting Bergstrom to it's presence and then dismissed the idea almost immediately.

I find the shape and behavior of this UFO to  be very peculiar, and wondered if anyone else had ever heard of a UFO like this, as I cannot say that I have. Please share if you've ever seen a UFO like this!