Project 10073 Record — Albuquerque, New Mexico, 13 October 1954

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report concerning an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sighting that occurred on 13 October 1954, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The report details an observation made by a 25-year-old mechanical technician employed by the Sandia Corporation. The witness, who was located two miles south of the South Gate to the Sandia Corporation, observed a circular, white, fluorescent object for approximately seven to nine seconds. The witness described the object as having no trail or exhaust and producing no sound. According to the report, the object appeared from the direction of Toreras Canyon in front of the Sandia Mountains, traveled at an extremely high rate of speed, and performed a 90-degree turn before disappearing. The witness noted that the object appeared to be at an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet. At the time of the sighting, the weather was described as bright daylight with clear skies. The report includes detailed meteorological data, including wind direction and velocity at various altitudes. The investigation, conducted by the 1602d Air Intelligence Service Squadron, concluded that the sighting was a misinterpretation of a conventional aircraft reflecting the rays of the sun. The investigating officers suggested that the extreme brightness of the object, combined with the dark background of the Sandia Mountains, caused a temporary image to be burned onto the observer's retina. This, they argued, explained the observer's perception of the object's rapid movement and sudden 90-degree turn, as the image remained impressed on the observer's eyes even after they looked away. The report explicitly states that no physical evidence was obtained and that there was no unusual activity or interception action taken. The document is signed by Robert M. Yates, 2nd Lt., USAF, and approved by Colonel John M. White, Jr., Commander of the 1602d AISS.