Project 10073 Record Card and Incident Report — Hillcrest Heights, MD, 12 Oct 52

On October 12, 1952, at approximately 2200 hours EST, two USAF officers attached to the Air Base Group at Andrews AFB observed an unidentified flying object while driving east on Colbrook Drive in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland. The witnesses, a Major and a pilot, described the object as having the size and brilliance of a medium star. They observed the object for approximately 35 to 40 seconds as it traveled from right to left at an altitude of about 40 degrees. The object maintained level flight, hovered momentarily, and then ascended, disappearing at an altitude of approximately 85 degrees. Both witnesses were certain that the object was not an aircraft or a falling star. Following the report, radar checks at Andrews AFB and Washington National Airport yielded negative results. However, inquiries with the Silver Hill Weather Station confirmed that a radiosonde balloon was released at 2200 hours daily. The official evaluation concluded that the sighting was likely a weather balloon, noting that the observed behavior—hovering, ascending, and the white light—was consistent with normal balloon characteristics under the reported weather conditions of unlimited ceiling and no temperature inversion.