PROJECT 10073 RECORD - ZERBST, GERMANY - 1 OCT 54

On October 1, 1954, at 0900Z, a Pan American Airlines flight crew, led by Captain Rickard, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon while operating in the Berlin Corridor. The aircraft was at an altitude of 7,000 feet when the crew noticed three to four MiG-15 aircraft flying in a formation. Simultaneously, the crew observed a single object falling vertically approximately five to seven miles to the right of their position, near Zerbst Airfield (5200N/1208E). The object was at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet. According to the report, the object appeared to be falling vertically and emitted an intense red-orange, dome-shaped glow, leaving a trail described as similar to a flare. The configuration of the object was obscured by the intensity of the light. Upon striking the ground, the object produced a boiling action followed immediately by dense black smoke. The observation lasted only a few seconds before the view was obstructed by clouds. The reporting officer, 1st Lt. Edward J. Pilecki of the 7350th Base Complement Squadron, noted that no other aircraft were observed in the immediate vicinity of the falling object at the time of the incident. The official conclusion reached by the evaluating agency, ATIC, was that the event was likely a munitions test of some sort involving a short burning interval. The report is marked as unclassified and includes references to ATIC #189165 and AF 638492.