Project 10073 Record — Tampico, Mexico, 7 August 1949

This document contains a report regarding an aerial sighting that occurred on the night of 7 August 1949. A civilian witness, while driving alone on a highway between Mexico City and Tampico, Tamaulipas, observed an object in the sky. The witness described the object as being approximately 120 feet long, narrow, and torpedo-shaped, with a pale yellow color. The object was estimated to be at an altitude of 5,000 feet, traveling at a speed of roughly 350 miles per hour on a straight, southward course. The witness noted that the object had a flat bottom and a rounded nose, and appeared to leave trailing pinpoints of fire. The observation lasted for at least five seconds before the object disappeared behind trees. The witness explicitly stated that the object had no lights similar to those found on aircraft and that it did not resemble shooting stars. The witness also noted that they had never seen jet planes operating at night and could not draw any comparisons. The report includes a comment from the reporting officer, who suggested that the witness had consumed one beer during the trip and possessed only limited knowledge regarding 'flying disc' reports. The official conclusion provided in the Project 10073 record categorizes the object as an 'Astro' or meteor. The document is marked as unclassified and includes instructions for periodic downgrading and eventual declassification under DOD Directive 5200.10.