Sighting of a Flying Saucer by Certain Lockheed Aircraft Corporation Personnel on 16 December 1953

This document collection details a UAP sighting reported by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation personnel on December 16, 1953. The primary incident involved multiple witnesses aboard a Lockheed WV-2 aircraft flying off the coast of Southern California near Santa Monica and Point Mugu. At approximately 1700 hours, the crew observed a stationary, black, elliptical object at an altitude between 15,000 and 18,000 feet. The object, which appeared to have an aspect ratio of approximately 7:1 to 10:1, remained stationary for several minutes before performing a rapid, long, shallow climb and disappearing. The witnesses, who were experienced pilots and engineers, initially considered the possibility of a cloud, but noted the object's distinct, sharp outline and unusual flight characteristics. One witness also reported a similar sighting from his home near Agoura, California, during the same period. The reports were compiled by Lockheed management and forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by Lieutenant General D. L. Putt. In his cover letter, General Putt noted that the Lockheed personnel were initially hesitant to submit the report due to concerns about professional ridicule, as the subject of 'flying saucers' was not typically associated with logical, hard-headed engineers. The documentation includes technical descriptions, sketches of the object's dimensions, and personal accounts from the flight crew. The official conclusion provided in the initial incident report form categorized the object as a 'Lenticular Cloud,' though the detailed narratives from the flight crew emphasize the object's anomalous behavior and distinct physical appearance, which they felt distinguished it from standard cloud formations.