Project 10073 Record — Kansas City, Missouri, 5 May 1954

This document contains the official record for Project 10073, detailing a sighting of unidentified aerial phenomena reported by a civilian engineer in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 5, 1954. The witness, a 41-year-old engineer, reported observing two shimmering objects from the Kansas City Viaduct at approximately 2315Z. The objects were described as moving in a westerly direction for a duration of four minutes. The witness noted that the objects made no sound and lacked standard aircraft running lights. Initially, the witness considered the possibility that the objects were a planet, specifically Saturn, but rejected this after observing them move through shadows and change in brightness. The witness estimated the speed of the objects at 600 m.p.h. and noted that they became as brilliant as Venus before suddenly disappearing. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) processed the report, sending a questionnaire to the witness on June 22, 1954, which was completed and returned on June 30, 1954. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the objects were possibly aircraft, but that there was insufficient data to draw a definitive conclusion. The file includes the original questionnaire, correspondence from the Air Force, and a summary of the weather conditions at the time of the sighting, which were reported as clear. The document also contains a newspaper clipping from May 24, 1954, regarding a 'sun dog' sky display in Dayton, Ohio, and a separate report from New Zealand regarding pilots observing strange objects, which appear to be included as reference material for the ATIC staff.