Reporting of Info on Unconventional Aircraft — 13 Sept 1950

This document details a sighting report from 13 September 1950, involving a civilian pilot flying near Effingham, Illinois. The pilot, who is noted as having 6,000 hours of flight experience, reported observing three lights arranged in a triangle formation at an altitude of 8,000 feet. The lights were described as dim, vague, and dull red, appearing unlike standard aircraft position lights. The pilot reported that the objects were on a collision course with his private aircraft, prompting him to make a sharp turn to the right after a slow closure. He then performed a climbing turn to the left to further observe the objects, but they disappeared before he could circle them. The pilot subsequently landed in Terre Haute, Indiana. The report was reviewed by the Air Materiel Command (AMC), with interviewing officers Lt. Col. M. D. Willis and Major A. J. Boggs. The AMC concluded that the incident did not warrant a comprehensive technical investigation, noting that similar reports had been received over the years. The official assessment suggested that the informant may have seen or imagined the lights, citing that optical illusions are common during night flight. Weather conditions at the time were reported as having scattered clouds at 4,000 feet with 15 miles of visibility. The document includes references to previous CSAF items and instructions for handling information on unconventional aircraft per Air Force letter dated 8 September 1950.