Project 10073 Record Card — Utica, N.Y., 3 Nov 59

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated military message regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sighting that occurred on November 3, 1959, over Utica, New York. The sighting was reported by two experienced pilots, Captain Paul E. Skinner of the AFROTC and 1st Lieutenant Douglas L. Miller of the 4039th Strategic Wing, who were flying a T-33 aircraft at 30,000 feet. The observers described a round, yellow-white object that appeared as a pinhead at arm's length and resembled a spotlight. The object was initially perceived as stationary, leading the pilots to consider the possibility that it was a weather balloon. However, when the pilots attempted to close in on the object, it disappeared, reappeared much dimmer, and then sped rapidly away, eventually being lost to view. The observation lasted between 10 and 15 minutes. The weather conditions at the time were reported as VFR on top of a solid overcast with a bright moon. The official evaluation, documented on the Project 10073 record card and in the military message, concludes that while the possibility exists that the object was a balloon, the lack of reported directional movement and the object's behavior precluded a definitive identification. The report explicitly states that there was no physical evidence and that no other sightings of the object were reported in the area. The investigation was conducted in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2.