UAP Sighting Report — Hamptonville, North Carolina, February 11, 1953

This document contains a U.S. Air Force sighting report regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on February 11, 1953, near Hamptonville, Yadkin County, North Carolina. The witness, a farmer, reported observing a single, grapefruit-shaped object that appeared to be spinning and traveling at a high rate of speed. The witness estimated the speed of the object to be between 700 and 1,200 miles per hour. The observation lasted approximately three minutes under clear, dry, and cold weather conditions. The witness noted that the object made no sound and emitted no smoke, describing its color as being 'bright like new tin.' The witness was accompanied by two other men at the time of the sighting while they were cutting timber. The report includes a completed U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, where the witness provided sketches of the object's motion and appearance. The witness also provided a list of local character references, including a private agent, merchants, and other farmers, to attest to his honesty. The Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base acknowledged the report in a letter dated April 21, 1953, signed by Major Robert C. Brown. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the object was a 'possible balloon,' but they ultimately determined there was 'insufficient data for firm evaluation.' The document includes the original correspondence, the technical information questionnaire, and the witness's hand-drawn sketches of the object's path and appearance.