Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — LaHinia, Maui, Hawaii, 20 January 1956

On 20 January 1956, at 0915Z, a civilian witness in LaHinia, Maui, Hawaii, reported observing an unidentified aerial object for approximately 25 minutes. The witness described the object as an orange flame, roughly the size of a quarter, which emitted a muffled roar. The object was observed moving at high speed from a distance before slowing to a hover, seemingly moving into a valley near the island of Molokai, and eventually fading out in the distance. The witness, a 56-year-old retired individual, reported the incident through official channels. The investigation was conducted by the 7th Air Force, specifically under the direction of Lt. Col. John H. Schweitzer. The report notes that the witness was considered mature, sincere, and intelligent, and despite having read 'Flying Saucers Are Real,' she did not believe in the phenomenon. The investigating officers concluded that the sighting was likely the result of exhaust or navigation lights from local aircraft. They suggested that the dense atmosphere near the earth's surface caused diffusion and refraction of these lights, leading to the witness's generous estimates of the object's size and color. The report further notes that it was impractical to verify specific air traffic for the time of the sighting, as the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) had no record of such a flight, and local military and civil flights were common in the Hawaiian area. The witness had previously reported other sightings, including four in 1952 and six between 6 and 21 January 1956. The final assessment by the 7th Air Force was that the object was an aircraft light.