Incident #249 Sighting Report — Curling East, Newfoundland, February 1949

This document details the investigation of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sighting, designated Incident No. 249, which occurred on February 11, 1949, near Curling East, Newfoundland. A civilian witness, while waiting for a bus at the corner of Simmons and Furlongs Store, observed a dull red, circular object in the sky over the Blow-Me-Down Light. The witness reported that the object faded, then reappeared as a long, elliptical flame, resembling a blowtorch, with flickers of flame. The object was estimated to be 40 to 50 feet in size and was observed for approximately two to three minutes. A bus driver also reportedly witnessed the event. The investigation was conducted by Captain William H. Smith of the United States Air Force. The report notes that the witness was a paper finisher at the Bowaters Paper Company, described as illiterate and inarticulate, but considered reliable by local police. The investigation included an aerial search of the area, which yielded negative results. The terrain in the vicinity was described as exceptionally rugged, barren of vegetation, and heavily snow-covered, making ground search impossible. The official conclusion categorized the event as having insufficient data, noting the difficulty in obtaining precise measurements from the witness. The file includes various correspondence between the Newfoundland Base Command, the Military Air Transport Service, and the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, documenting the administrative handling of the report.