Incident #67 Sighting Report — Near Placerville, California, 14 August 1947

This document details the investigation of a UFO sighting reported by an insurance executive and his wife on August 14, 1947, near Placerville, California. While driving on Cedar Ravine Road at approximately 1600 PST, the witnesses observed a metallic, rocket-shaped object moving from north to south. The object was estimated to be five feet long and fourteen inches deep, with a polished chrome surface that reflected sunlight. The witnesses reported that the object traveled at a high rate of speed in a very shallow dive, leaving a white smoke trail before eventually disappearing in a puff of dark gray smoke. The object was estimated to be at an altitude of 750 feet and was observed for a short period. A subsequent investigation conducted by a Special Agent from the Fourth Air Force on August 20 and 26, 1947, included an on-site visit to the location where the object was reportedly seen. The investigator noted that the terrain provided a sweeping view of the canyon and that the witness was a credible individual, a University of California graduate. The official assessment concluded that if the observers' statements were accurate, it would be difficult to attribute the sighting to an astronomical event like a meteor. Although the investigator suggested the possibility that the witnesses might have seen a conventional aircraft, he explicitly noted that he could not account for the smoke trail described by the witnesses. The document includes an incident summary sheet and an index of Dr. Hynek's evaluations from the Project Grudge report, which categorizes various sightings.