Project 10073 Record Card — Andrews AFB, 29 September 1958

This document details a sighting report from 29 September 1958, involving an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed near Andrews Air Force Base and Deerwood, Maryland. The report, filed under Project 10073, describes an object observed at 0525 DST by tower operators and military personnel. The witnesses reported a round, glowing orange object, estimated to be half again as large as the moon, which appeared to be descending toward the northwest. The object was described as having a humming sound, similar to rushing wind, and emitting sparks from its rear. Witnesses also noted green and red lights and the appearance of disintegration as it descended. Radar contact was reported by RAPCON, which noted ground clutter in the vicinity. Following the initial report, a T-33 aircraft and a helicopter were dispatched to investigate the area of the reported 'UFO landing.' The investigation concluded that the phenomenon was not an extraterrestrial or mysterious object, but rather a group of orange-colored Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) trucks. The 'unearthly glow' reported by witnesses was identified as the reflection of arc-welding equipment used by workmen constructing steel high-tension line towers in the area. The document includes a record card, a teletype message summarizing the incident, and a subsequent news clipping from The Washington Post dated 8 October 1958, which confirms the Air Force's identification of the object as construction-related activity. The report also contains meteorological data and various weather plotting charts, likely used to rule out atmospheric phenomena. The final analysis by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) classified the event as explained, attributing the sighting to the reflections of welding lights.