Project 10073 Record Card — New York, N.Y., 18 June 1954

On June 18, 1954, at approximately 8:25 p.m. E.D.T., a civilian witness and a friend observed an unidentified aerial object from the roof of a five-story building in New York, N.Y. The sighting lasted between 10 and 15 seconds. The witnesses described the object as ovoid in shape, metallic in composition, and silvery in color. It traveled on a straight course from the southwest to the northeast with no apparent deviation. The witnesses estimated the speed to be between 400 and 700 miles per hour, though they noted the altitude was indeterminable. They assumed the object was at a high elevation because it reflected the rays of the sun, which was already sinking low in the west. There were no audible sounds associated with the object. The sky conditions were described as early twilight and perfectly clear, with visibility between 15 and 20 miles. The wind was blowing from the east to the west at approximately 12 miles per hour. The report was processed under Project 10073. In the official evaluation, the investigator noted that the reported duration or speed was likely in error, as the object could not have passed through the reported arc in that timeframe. While the investigator suggested the object might have been a meteor, they concluded that there was insufficient data for a firm conclusion, noting that exact positional data was not provided.