Project 10073 Record Card — Charleston, W. Va. — 17 May 1962

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an accompanying Department of the Air Force incoming message regarding a UFO sighting that occurred on May 17, 1962, near Charleston, West Virginia. Two civilian witnesses, located approximately 14 miles apart, reported seeing a round, light-yellow object with a hazy ring and trail. The witnesses, one an industrial instrument mechanic and the other a shift foreman, observed the object for approximately five seconds at an elevation of 45 degrees. The object appeared to move significantly faster than a jet aircraft but slower than a shooting star. One observer noted the object arcing toward the earth, while the other observed it climbing slightly. Both witnesses reported the object disappearing over the horizon to the southwest. The Air Force investigation, conducted under the guidelines of AFR 200-2, included a review of radar data from the 783rd ACWRON at Guthrie AFS. The electronic warfare officer reported that there was no radar confirmation of any object in the vicinity of the reported path. Given the simultaneous visual sightings at separated locations and the absence of radar confirmation, the official conclusion suggested that the object was possibly a satellite or associated space debris.