Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting near Prescott, Arizona, 29 September 1956

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated correspondence regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported on September 29, 1956, near Prescott, Arizona. The primary witness, who possessed significant aviation experience as a mechanic and the child of a barnstorming pilot, observed a single object at approximately 19:45 hours. The object was described as glowing like a very bright star with a reddish light and exhibiting a slight oscillating movement while traveling in a level, straight path toward the east. The observation lasted between 35 and 45 seconds. The witness, who was camping at the Miwanis campground at the time, noted that the object appeared to be at an altitude of 20,000 to 30,000 feet and was potentially the size of a conventional aircraft. No sound was heard during the sighting. The report was initially processed by the District Intelligence Officer of the 11th Naval District in San Diego and subsequently forwarded to the Air Defense Command at Ent AFB, Colorado. The official evaluation by ATIC (Air Technical Intelligence Center) suggested the object was 'probably a meteor,' noting that the object moved through an 80-degree arc at an extreme altitude. However, the report explicitly states that the description of a red, pulsating light indicated a possible aircraft, but the short duration of the sighting made a definitive conclusion impossible, leading to a final determination of 'insufficient data for conclusion.' The correspondence confirms that no further action was contemplated by the office of the District Commander, Colonel Paul H. Crews.