Incident Report: Unidentified Flying Object Sighted Near Spokane, Washington

On February 6, 1953, a B-36 aircraft (AF 2708) flying in the vicinity of Spokane, Washington, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The pilot, Major Leo J. Moffatt of the 327th Bomb Squadron, reported sighting a round, white, omnidirectional light at approximately 0913Z. The object was observed at an altitude of roughly 7,000 feet, initially on a southeast course, before performing a descending turn and heading south. The pilot reported that the object circled several times, began flashing at one-to-two-second intervals, and exhibited a noticeable increase in speed before disappearing on a southerly heading. The observation lasted between three and five minutes. No sound was heard, and no exhaust trail or propulsion system was observed. The weather at the time was reported as 1,200 feet broken with 9,000 feet overcast and light drizzle. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) conducted an investigation into the incident. They determined that a weather balloon (piball) had been released from the U.S. Weather Bureau station at Fairchild AFB at 0900Z. Based on wind data at 7,000 to 10,000 feet, which was blowing from the west-northwest at approximately 50 knots, ATIC concluded that the balloon would have drifted to the southeast, placing it in the vicinity of Rosalia, Washington, approximately 15 minutes after launch. This timing closely matched the sighting. ATIC concluded that the object was likely a weather balloon, noting that such balloons often carry running lights, which would account for the flashing observed by the pilot. The report includes comments from the preparing officer, who noted that while the light appeared horizontally omnidirectional and did not exhibit a focused beam, the correlation between the flashing and the increase in speed could potentially suggest a propulsive system, though no such system was confirmed. The report explicitly states that no other aircraft were in the area at the time of the sighting and that radar sites did not report the incident. The case file includes one photograph and two photocopied charts.