Project 10073 Record Card — Kettering, Ohio, 10 September 1959

This document is a Project 10073 record card and associated investigation file concerning a UFO sighting reported on September 10, 1959, in Kettering, Ohio. A civilian witness, a 14-year-old student, reported observing six bright red, circular objects moving up, down, and sideways in the sky for approximately two to three minutes. The witness described the objects as having blinking lights and being brighter than most stars, noting that they did not appear to be standard aircraft lights. The sighting occurred during twilight under conditions of scattered clouds and a slight breeze. The witness reported the event to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) duty officer on the same day. Following the report, an ATIC duty officer conducted a check of local aviation and weather facilities, including Wright Field, the U.S. Weather Service at Sulphur Grove, and the Cox Municipal Airport control tower. The investigation revealed that there was heavy air traffic in the area at the time of the sighting. The U.S. Weather Service reported that a weather balloon had burst at 91,000 feet, but the instrument package was red and had no lights, making it an unlikely candidate for the observed blinking red lights. The final conclusion reached by the ATIC duty officer was that the objects were 'probably aircraft,' noting that the sighting occurred in a location where many aircraft pass overhead during twilight hours. The file includes technical information sheets, a summary of the duty officer's checks, and documentation of photographic evidence, which consisted of several negatives, prints, and slides. The witness remained uncertain about the nature of the objects, describing them as 'unknown' in their own opinion, despite the official assessment.