Project 10073 Record Card — Lowry AFB, Colorado, 20 April 1958

On 20 April 1958, at 1630Z, an aircraft maintenance inspector with the Air Force observed an unidentified aerial object north of Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. The witness, who had been employed in aircraft maintenance since 1944, described the object as saucer-shaped with a slight hump in the center, appearing the size of a silver dollar to the naked eye. The object was observed for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. During the sighting, the object was initially positioned 20 to 25 degrees above the horizon at an azimuth of 030-040 degrees, at an estimated distance of 10 to 15 miles. The observer noted that the object eventually climbed straight up or moved straight away until it was no longer visible. The witness also reported that three Navy jets were conducting practice GCA approaches to Runway 16 at Lowry AFB during the time of the sighting. The observer noted that they had reported two other sightings previously, one of which involved an object similar to the one described in this report. Although the observer explicitly stated their belief that the object was not a weather balloon, the official evaluation conducted by the Air Force concluded that a weather balloon released northwest of the area, traveling at 30,000 feet with a velocity of 45-100 knots, was a likely explanation. The report includes meteorological data from the 8th Weather Group Detachment 4 at Lowry AFB, noting scattered high clouds and gusty winds from the northeast.