You’re wandering through the Commonwealth, probably minding your own business, maybe hauling three desk fans and a bag of cement back to Sanctuary, when the sky screams. It’s a distinct, high-pitched whistling sound that cuts through the ambient wasteland wind. If you look up at just the right moment, you see it—a streak of blue fire tearing across the sky. Then, a dull thud in the distance.
Most players assume it’s just another Vertibird biting the dust.
It isn't.
The Fallout 4 alien crash site is one of those classic Bethesda moments that feels like an urban legend until you actually stumble upon the scorched earth yourself. It’s not just a random Easter egg thrown in for a laugh; it’s a scripted event tied specifically to your character’s progression. If you go looking for it at Level 2, you’ll find nothing but empty woods. You have to earn your encounter with the Zetaans. Honestly, that’s what makes it so rewarding. It’s a literal bridge between the gritty post-nuclear reality of Boston and the wider, weirder Fallout universe that’s been hinting at extraterrestrials since the very first game in 1997.
When Does the Alien Ship Actually Crash?
Timing is everything. You can't just sprint to the crash site the moment you step out of Vault 111. The game won't let you. The trigger for the UFO event is hard-coded to Level 20.
Once you hit that milestone, the event can trigger anywhere in the exterior world. You might be in the middle of a firefight with Super Mutants or just standing on a roof in Diamond City. Your companions will often comment on it. Piper might sound shocked, or Nick Valentine might drop a dry remark. If you miss the visual cue, don't sweat it. The wreckage doesn't despawn. It’s waiting for you.
There is a slight caveat, though. Some players report the event triggering as early as Level 17 or 18, but Level 20 is the "official" threshold where the game’s script checks for the event. If you’ve reached Level 30 and haven't seen it, chances are it happened while you were fast-traveling or busy looting a basement, and you just didn't hear the roar of the engines.
Locating the Fallout 4 Alien Crash Site
The location isn't marked on your map. Bethesda likes to make you work for the good stuff.
To find the Fallout 4 alien crash site, you need to head to a specific patch of forest southeast of Oberland Station. If you haven't discovered Oberland Station yet, it’s directly south of Graygarden and west of Diamond City.
Look for the trees. Well, the broken trees.
The ship didn't just land; it plowed through the landscape. You’ll see a massive trench of charred dirt and snapped trunks leading toward a pile of smoking, silver metal. The ship itself is a classic flying saucer design, very much in line with the "pulp sci-fi" aesthetic of the 1950s that Fallout loves so much.
Investigating the Wreckage
When you reach the saucer, it’s burning. It’s clearly unsalvageable. But if you look closely at the ground near the cockpit, you’ll see green slime. This isn't radioactive waste or mutant blood. It's alien ichor. Following these glowing green splatters is the only way to finish the encounter.
The trail leads away from the ship, down a small rocky slope, and toward a nearby cave.
It’s easy to miss. The cave entrance is tucked away and doesn't have a map marker of its own until you’re basically standing inside it. Once you enter, the atmosphere shifts. The music gets tense. You’re no longer hunting a scavenger or a Raider. You’re tracking a dying pilot from another world.
The Confrontation in the Cave
Inside the cave, you'll find the survivor. A Zetan.
He’s injured, clutching his side, and he’s not interested in a peaceful first contact. The moment he sees you, he’ll open fire. He’s relatively low-level compared to you (since you’re at least Level 20), but his weapon packs a punch. It’s the Alien Blaster, a legendary recurring weapon in the series.
Kill him. Or don't? Actually, there is no "don't."
The Zetan is permanently hostile. You can't talk to him, you can't offer him a Stimpak, and you can't trade with him. It’s a bit of a missed opportunity for roleplayers, but it serves a mechanical purpose: giving you his gun.
The Prize: The Alien Blaster Pistol
Once the Zetan is dead, you can loot his body for the Alien Blaster Pistol and a handful of Alien Blaster Rounds.
This gun is incredible. It’s fast, it has zero recoil, and it turns enemies into piles of blue ash. However, there is a massive catch that frustrates almost every player: the ammo. You only get a limited amount from the pilot—usually around 400 to 500 rounds. In the base game, there is no other source of Alien Blaster Rounds. Once they’re gone, the gun becomes a very shiny paperweight.
Wait, there’s a workaround.
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If you have a high enough Science! perk, you can take the gun to a weapons workbench and modify the receiver. You can convert it to use standard Fusion Cells.
Does it do less damage? Yeah, slightly. But a gun that works is better than a gun that’s empty. Honestly, the damage drop is negligible when you consider you can now use the thousands of Fusion Cells you’ve looted from every Synth in the Commonwealth.
Why Does This Matter for the Lore?
The presence of the Fallout 4 alien crash site confirms that despite the world ending in 2077, the Zetans are still actively monitoring Earth. This isn't the first time they've been here.
- In Fallout 3, the Mothership Zeta DLC took players directly onto an alien ship.
- In Fallout: New Vegas, you could find a saucer and a group of aliens if you had the Wild Wasteland perk.
- In the original Fallout, a crashed saucer was a rare random encounter.
The Zetans have been a staple of the franchise since the beginning. Some fans hate it. They think it ruins the "serious" tone of a post-apocalyptic survival game. But Fallout has always been a parody of American Cold War culture. In the 1950s, people weren't just afraid of the bomb; they were obsessed with "Little Green Men." Including them in the game is Bethesda’s way of leaning into that specific brand of retro-futurism.
Common Misconceptions About the Crash Site
I’ve seen a lot of weird theories online about this location. Let’s clear a few things up.
First, no, you cannot fly the ship. I don't care what that one YouTube thumbnail told you. The ship is a static object. It doesn't move. You can't repair it.
Second, the crash isn't tied to the main quest. You don't need to join the Brotherhood of Steel or the Institute to see it. It is purely a level-based trigger.
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Third, the pilot isn't "the only alien." If you have the Nuka-World DLC, you can find more references to them, specifically in the Galactic Zone. There’s even a Hubologist questline that involves a spaceship, though that's more of a cultist fever dream than an actual alien encounter.
Expert Tips for Maximizing the Encounter
If you’re planning to head out to the Fallout 4 alien crash site, go prepared to make the most of it.
Bring a Companion.
Bringing someone like Deacon or MacCready can result in some of the best unique dialogue in the game. They react with genuine confusion. It adds a layer of immersion that makes the wasteland feel more "alive," even if you're dealing with something from outer space.
Check the Radio.
Sometimes, after the crash happens, you can pick up a "Distress Signal" on your Pip-Boy radio if you are close enough to the Oberland Station area. The signal is just garbled alien speech, but it acts as a "hot or cold" tracker. The louder and clearer the signal, the closer you are to the cave.
Don't Convert the Gun Immediately.
Use up the original Alien Blaster Rounds first. They are more powerful than Fusion Cells. Once you’re down to your last five shots, then go to the workbench. There’s no reason to waste the "good" ammo by converting the gun too early.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you want to experience this properly, follow this specific sequence:
- Hit Level 20: Grind out some side quests or build up your settlements until you reach the level cap.
- Wait for the Sound: Keep your ears open while traveling in the open world. If you hear a jet engine sound that's too high-pitched for a Vertibird, look up.
- Fast Travel to Oberland Station: This is your closest landmark.
- Head East/Southeast: Look for the smoke rising from the trees.
- Look for Green Blood: Don't just loot the ship; follow the trail to the cave.
- Science Perk Rank 4: Make sure you have the required perks if you want to use the Alien Blaster long-term with Fusion Cells.
The Fallout 4 alien crash site remains one of the most memorable unlisted locations in the game. It’s a brief, violent, and strange reminder that while the humans of the Commonwealth are fighting over scraps of scrap metal and political ideologies, there is a much bigger—and much weirder—universe watching from above.
Once you have that Alien Blaster in your holster, the rest of the game feels just a little bit different. You aren't just a survivor anymore; you’re the person carrying tech that shouldn't exist. Take that back to the Institute and see if they have anything to say about it. Spoiler: they won't, but you'll know the truth.