Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting in San Angelo, Texas, 13 May 1957

On 13 May 1957, an unemployed civilian in San Angelo, Texas, reported observing an unidentified aerial object. The witness described the object as oblong, approximately 60 feet in length, white with black fins, and featuring an arrow-head nose. The object was observed for four seconds while flying in a straight, level, south-easterly direction. The witness reported that the object emitted a loud, high-pitched sound, which they compared to a fast-moving jet, though notably louder than other jets observed at similar altitudes. The witness claimed familiarity with military aircraft and initially compared the object to a Douglas Nike Ajax missile, though they insisted the observed object was significantly larger.

Official military documentation, including a Project 10073 record card and teletype correspondence, indicates that the sighting was investigated by personnel at Goodfellow Air Force Base. A check of local air traffic control and radar data yielded negative results, with no aircraft of the described capability detected in the area at the time of the observation. Wing operations officers at Goodfellow AFB suggested the object might have been a high-performance Century series aircraft, though this assessment remained unconfirmed by Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) personnel.

Internal notes attached to the report express skepticism regarding the witness's account. One handwritten comment on the report suggests that the witness may have been attempting to gain publicity, noting that the individual was unemployed. Analysts also performed a geometric analysis of the sighting, comparing the witness's reported angle of elevation to local air traffic routes (specifically Red Airway 1). The analysis concluded that the witness's observation correlated with the flight path of standard air traffic, suggesting the sighting was likely a misidentification of a conventional aircraft, potentially exacerbated by the witness's imagination and inability to accurately judge speed and distance. The final conclusion of the report is listed as a negative report, implying that the object was not considered an anomalous phenomenon.