Project 10073 Record Card and Supplement to AF Form 112 - Sighting of 20 September 1960

On the evening of September 20, 1960, at approximately 2000 local time, three aircrew members from the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) observed an unidentified aerial object while flying an F-89J aircraft at 20,000 feet near Spokane, Washington. The witnesses, including Captain Harold B. Riese, 2nd Lt. Jack L. McElroy, and 1st Lt. Jack D. Saulls, described the object as a round, greenish-white light that changed to a reddish-orange color. The object appeared to be the size of a quarter held at arm's length. During the 10-second observation, the witnesses reported that the object traveled from west to east before turning north, with pieces breaking off and continuing to glow before the object eventually exploded. The witnesses noted that the object made no sound and exhibited no maneuvering. The incident was also reported by a control tower operator at Fairchild AFB, as well as by the Washington State Patrol and the Idaho Sheriff's Office, who were concerned about a potential aircraft accident. The 142nd Air Defense Wing conducted an investigation, and the incident was subsequently turned over to the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and reported under the 'Moon Dust' program. The official evaluation by the 142nd Air Defense Wing's Flying Safety Officer suggested that the object might have been a man-made satellite, noting that the observed duration and the breaking off of pieces were inconsistent with typical meteor behavior, which usually burns out within two seconds without visible fragmentation. However, the report also acknowledged that the pilot's estimate of the 10-second duration could have been inaccurate. No physical evidence or photographs were recovered.