Project 10073 Record Card — January 8, 1959 Sighting

On the evening of January 8, 1959, at approximately 2314Z, two Air Force pilots flying a C-45 aircraft from Phillipsburg to Brookville, Pennsylvania, observed a bright, bluish-green object. The pilots, flying at an altitude of 8,000 feet, described the object as having a teardrop shape and being approximately 200 feet in diameter. The object, which made no audible sound, appeared to be falling and was visible for two to three seconds before burning out. The pilot reported being frightened by the object, which appeared to be heading toward their aircraft. A co-pilot, who had previous experience with UFO studies, estimated the object to be much smaller and further away, suggesting it was a meteor. Ground observers, including a member of the Ohio State University, also reported seeing a brilliant bluish-white meteor streak across the sky over Columbus at approximately 6:15 P.M. E.S.T. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force investigation was that the object was an astronomical meteor, noting that it was spectacular enough to be visible from points nearly 300 miles apart. The report includes a completed questionnaire from one of the pilots, who provided details on the object's appearance, motion, and the weather conditions at the time, which were described as clear and moonless.