Sighting Incident Report — Miami, Florida, 30 December 1953

This document is a CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) report detailing an aerial sighting that occurred on December 30, 1953, approximately 38 miles east of Miami, Florida. The report was filed by the Flight Service Center at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, on December 31, 1953. Two pilots, both employed by Universal Trades Inc. and based in Jacksonville, Florida, reported observing an unidentified object while flying at an altitude of 6,500 feet. The witnesses described the object as a single white light. According to the report, the pilots initially attempted to overtake the object, which appeared to be stationary. During the encounter, the object veered to the right, at which point the light extinguished for approximately 5 to 8 seconds. The object then veered to the left, assumed a following course, and eventually disappeared behind the aircraft. The total duration of the observation was five minutes. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with 12 miles of visibility and scattered cloud cover at 2,500 feet. The official conclusion reached by the reporting agency was that the object was a balloon with a light attached, as observed from an aircraft at night. The report includes detailed meteorological data, including wind speeds at various altitudes, and confirms that no photographs or physical evidence were obtained. The document was signed by an individual named Golinsky.