Project 10073 Record Card — Elburn, Illinois, August 1959

This document consists of a Project 10073 Record Card and an accompanying U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet detailing an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting reported by an airline pilot. On August 19, 1959, at approximately 0230Z, the pilot of United Air Lines Flight 333, while flying over Elburn, Illinois, at an altitude of 8,000 feet, observed an unusual aerial phenomenon. The witness reported seeing three or four white lights arranged in a string. The observation was brief, lasting only three to five seconds. According to the pilot, the objects appeared to collect into a single object before disappearing. The pilot noted that the objects were sharply outlined and appeared to be the size of a pea held at arm's length. The co-pilot also witnessed the event. The weather conditions were reported as clear with no trace of daylight. The pilot indicated that the objects were brighter than the background of the sky and compared the brightness to that of an automobile headlight about a block away. The pilot stated that the objects did not give off smoke, nor did they flicker, throb, or pulsate. The Air Force evaluation concluded that the information provided was insufficient to reach a valid conclusion regarding the nature of the objects.