Project 10073 Record Card and Incident Report — Soap Lake, Washington, October 1958

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and a subsequent teletype report regarding an aerial sighting near Soap Lake, Washington, on October 22, 1958. A 31-year-old factory service attendant reported observing a round, reddish-orange object, approximately the size of a basketball, appearing like a falling star. The witness claimed the object fell in a small arc toward the ground, exploded, and left a white smoke trail, while also reporting a sound described as being 'somewhat like thunder.' The observation was reported to have lasted five minutes. Military intelligence officers from the 62nd Troop Carrier Group evaluated the report and concluded that the object was undoubtedly a meteor. The investigating officer expressed significant skepticism regarding the witness's account, noting that the individual appeared to have limited powers of observation and a strong desire for attention and publicity. The officer suggested that the reported duration of the event was likely an exaggeration caused by the witness misinterpreting the persistence of the smoke trail left by the meteor. The report includes detailed weather conditions at the time of the sighting, which were noted as clear with high broken clouds and good visibility.