Project 10073 Record Card: Aerial Explosion Sighting, 21 Feb 61

On February 21, 1961, at 0730Z, a civilian witness reported an aerial explosion approximately 40 miles west of Burns Junction, Nevada. The report was initially received by the controller at the Reno Air Defense Sector and subsequently relayed to the 28th NORAD Region Combat Center and the radar site at Winnemucca. The witness, identified as a resident of the Winnemucca Hotel, described the event as an aerial explosion. Following the report, the duty controller at the Reno section conducted a recheck for amplifying information, which yielded negative results. It was noted in the military communications that local radio news broadcasts had reported pieces of a meteor falling in Oregon the previous night, leading to speculation that the sighting might have been a meteor. However, the official Project 10073 record card indicates that a request for additional information was sent to the reporting unit but remained unanswered. Because the initial report lacked specific details regarding the description and duration of the sighting, the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that no definitive determination could be made. On March 1, 1961, ATIC issued a formal request to the HQ 28th Air Division, directing that a thorough investigation be conducted in accordance with AFR 200-2 and the findings reported back to ATIC.