Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting of 24 May 1961

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated Air Force incoming message (AF IN 4246) detailing a UFO sighting that occurred on May 24, 1961. The sighting was reported by two Air Force officers, 1st Lieutenant F.E. McCallister and 1st Lieutenant B.H. Floyd, both of the 963rd AEW&C Squadron, while they were flying in an RC-121D aircraft at 16,000 feet. The witnesses observed a small, silver, oval-shaped object that appeared to be the size of a pinhead. The object was sighted at 2154 local time, moving on a straight course with a maximum elevation of approximately 50 degrees. The total duration of the observation was 18 minutes. The witnesses initially considered the possibility that the object was the Echo I satellite, but they noted that the object appeared to be moving too slowly compared to the expected behavior of that satellite. The official analysis concluded that the object was likely a meteor, noting that atmospheric conditions, specifically a haze layer and a small temperature inversion at 17,000 feet, may have contributed to the misidentification. The report confirms that there was no radar contact and no photographic evidence of the object. The document provides detailed meteorological data, including cloud cover and temperature inversions, to support the conclusion that the sighting was a natural phenomenon rather than an unidentified aerial vehicle.