Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting at Indian Trails, Michigan, 13 October 1957

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an Air Intelligence Information Report regarding a sighting on 13 October 1957. Two 15-year-old students reported observing a ball-shaped, silver-grey object at approximately 22:05 hours near Indian Trails on Lake Erie, Monroe County, Michigan. The witnesses described the object as being the size of a basketball, featuring four lights (possibly portholes), and a heavy line dividing the top and bottom. They reported that the object emitted a high-pitched hum similar to an electric generator. According to the report, the object was sighted while the witnesses were looking at constellations (192 degrees West). It reportedly leveled off at an altitude of approximately 1500 feet and passed in front of the observers at a distance of 150 yards, moving from SSW to NNE at an estimated speed of 225-250 mph. The duration of the sighting was estimated at 8 to 10 seconds. The weather was reported as clear. The official evaluation concluded that the object was a meteor. The investigating officer expressed skepticism regarding the level of detail provided by the witnesses, noting that it was unlikely for two children to observe such specific features in only 8 to 10 seconds at night, suggesting the report was likely a result of 'over worked imaginations.' The document includes sketches of the object and its flight path, and was distributed to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and the Air Defense Command (ADC).