Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting Report 8 Dec 60

On December 8, 1960, at 0202Z, Captain Donald V. Steck, an aircraft commander with the 551st AEW&CON Squadron, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon while flying an RC-121D aircraft at 13,300 feet. The sighting occurred in the vicinity of Wallops Island, Virginia (3915N 6400W). Captain Steck described the object as a sphere, roughly the size of a basketball, featuring an orange center and a blue rim, accompanied by a trail of blue flame. He noted that the object resembled a shooting star or a large burning ball. The object moved in a straight vertical path downward and disappeared instantaneously below the horizon. The duration of the observation was approximately two to three seconds. No sound was heard, and no radar contact was made. Weather conditions at the time included broken cumulus clouds, clear visibility, and light turbulence. Following the report, an investigation was conducted by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). The official conclusion reached was that the object exhibited all the characteristics of a meteor. Investigators specifically checked for the possibility of a satellite reentry, but this was ruled out because no such event occurred at the time and date of the sighting. The report confirms that there was no physical evidence or photographs associated with the incident, and no other sightings were reported in connection with this event.