Betty Cash is most prominently associated with the Cash Landrum incident of December 29, 1980. According to her testimony, while driving home with friends Vickie Landrum and Colby Landrum, she observed a large, brightly lit diamond shaped object hovering at treetop level, expelling flames and emitting significant radiant heat. She reported that the object was accompanied by approximately 23 tandem rotor helicopters, some of which she stated bore United States Air Force markings.

Cash and the other witnesses claimed to experience acute physical symptoms following the encounter, including nausea, vomiting, skin blistering, and hair loss. These symptoms led Cash to seek medical treatment and prompted the group to pursue legal action against the U.S. government, alleging injury by a military asset. The case, Cash v. United States, was dismissed in 1986 after a federal judge found no evidence linking the reported object or helicopters to any U.S. government agency.

Betty Cash was a lifelong resident of Texas. She owned and operated a restaurant in Dayton, Texas, prior to the 1980 incident. Described by investigators as credible and sincere in her accounts, she had no known history of publicity seeking or prior involvement in UFO related claims before the Cash Landrum event.

Following the incident, Cash participated in multiple interviews, including an official inquiry at Bergstrom Air Force Base in August 1981. Her testimony was consistent in its central details across various retellings and investigations.

The Cash Landrum case remains one of the most documented and debated UAP incidents in American history. Investigators from the U.S. Army Inspector General's office, including Lt. Col. George Sarran, found Cash and the other witnesses to be credible, with no indication they were exaggerating or fabricating their account.

Skeptical analyses have proposed alternative explanations for the incident. Some researchers suggest the witnesses may have misidentified conventional aircraft or atmospheric phenomena. Others have questioned the correlation between the reported health symptoms and the alleged encounter, noting that medical records show Cash was treated for pre existing conditions including alopecia areata. Proponents of the case argue the consistency of witness testimony, the physical effects reported, and the involvement of numerous helicopters lend credibility to an anomalous event.

The case is notable for being one of the few UAP incidents to result in formal litigation against the U.S. government, highlighting its unique place in UAP research history.

Betty Cash's testimony, along with that of Vickie and Colby Landrum, has been cited in numerous books, documentaries, and research papers on UAP phenomena. The case prompted official military investigations and continues to be studied by both proponents and skeptics within the UAP research community.

Cash passed away on December 29, 1998, exactly 18 years after the reported incident. Her account remains a central part of the Cash Landrum case file, which is frequently referenced in discussions of witness credibility, physical trace cases, and government transparency regarding UAP.