Editing Betty and Barney Hill — Reporting to Authorities (section)

=== Walter Webb's NICAP Investigation ===
On September 29, 1961 — ten days after the incident — NICAP investigator '''Walter Webb''' drove to Portsmouth and conducted a '''six-hour interview session''' with the Hills. Webb was a professional astronomer at the Hayden Planetarium in Boston, which gave his assessment particular scientific credibility.

Webb's investigation included:
* Extended interviews with both Hills separately and together
* Examination of the physical anomalies on the car (the magnetic patches were still present and demonstrable)
* Analysis of the timeline and route
* Comparison of the object description to known aerial phenomena

Webb's assessment, filed with NICAP, concluded that the Hills were '''credible witnesses who had experienced a genuine anomalous encounter'''. He specifically noted that:
* The timeline discrepancy could not be explained by normal driving time
* The magnetic effect on the car was real and demonstrable
* Both Hills were psychologically stable and showed no indication of fabrication

Webb later described the case as one of the most compelling he had investigated in his career.