Project 10073 Record Card - Sighting in New York, New York, 14 August 1961

This document details the investigation of a UFO sighting report submitted by a civilian in Brooklyn, New York, on August 14, 1961. The witness claimed to have captured photographs of an unidentified object while taking pictures of the Statue of Liberty. According to the witness, the object was not visible to the naked eye but appeared on the film, which was described as traveling at a 'great tremendous speed' and possessing a 'spherical and conical' shape with a 'jet type of exhaust stream.' The witness submitted seven photographs and seven negatives for analysis. The New York Air Defense Sector forwarded the materials to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base under the provisions of AFR 200-2. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) conducted a thorough photo-analysis of the materials. Their findings consistently concluded that the images were not of an actual aerial phenomenon. Specifically, the analysis determined that the 'objects' were artifacts caused by poor quality photo laboratory work. These artifacts included scratches in the negative emulsion, reflections unseen by the photographer, and foreign matter that had adhered to the film during the processing and drying stages. The FTD noted that in every case where objects were not observed until after film processing, they were identified as damage to the emulsion or debris. The case was closed with the determination that the images were the result of poor quality photo laboratory work, and the witness was advised accordingly.