PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD: 1 October 1956 Sighting

On October 1, 1956, at 1611Z, military personnel observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon ten miles west of the Carey Islands, Newfoundland. The object was described as an elliptical-shaped fireball that emitted no sound and left a smoke trail. During the observation, which lasted between three and five seconds, the object traveled in a straight line at an estimated speed of 700 to 1200 miles per hour. The witnesses reported that the object was orange-red in color and eventually disintegrated, leaving behind a blue-white smoke trail in a contrail design. The observation occurred under clear weather conditions with winds at 340 degrees at 15 knots. The report notes a low-pressure area centered at 74.45 N and 64.50 W, with low clouds at 3000 feet. The incident was documented on a Project 10073 record card and reported via teletype to various military commands, including the 64th Air Division at Pepperrell Air Force Base, the Air Defense Command, and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The official conclusion recorded on the document is that the phenomenon was possibly a meteor.