Project 10073 Record Card — Jeffersonville, Indiana, 14 April 1960

On 14 April 1960, at approximately 0145 hours, a field representative for the Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company observed an unidentified aerial object while traveling north on Road 31E near Jeffersonville, Indiana. The witness, who was driving, reported seeing an object enter his field of vision at an angle of approximately 30 to 35 degrees on the horizon. The object traveled from left to right at an angle of about 20 degrees to the left of his center of vision. The witness described the object as having a burning appearance, with a length six to eight times its width. It was primarily pale green, though the leading edge reflected colors shifting from red to brown. The object's light intensity fluctuated, and its shape appeared to change during the descent. The witness noted that the object seemed to be of considerable mass and moved at a speed slightly slower than a typical meteorite. For the first half of the observation, the object was in a burning condition; it then became invisible for approximately one-fourth of the total duration before reappearing and eventually disappearing at about 15 degrees above the horizon. The witness reported that the object appeared to be breaking apart, trailing sparks similar to debris from disintegrated fireworks. Two women and a man, whom the witness had picked up earlier, also observed the event. The witness, who resides on a farm in Edgewood, Illinois, stated he was not a regular sky watcher but had observed meteorites previously. He believed the weather conditions at the time were clear, with a full moon and partial cloud cover. The Air Force investigation concluded that the description provided by the witness was characteristic of a fireball.