Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting by M/V Aconis, 16 November 1962

On 16 November 1962, at 170920Z, the crew of the merchant vessel M/V Aconis reported a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The vessel was positioned at 11 degrees 59 minutes North, 160 degrees 49.5 minutes West. The witnesses described a bright, red-colored object that appeared to be breaking up and falling. The object was observed at an elevation of approximately 20 degrees above the horizon. The crew explicitly noted that the object was not a star because they observed multiple objects falling. The report was transmitted via a Department of the Air Force staff message from the 326 Air Division Kunia Facility in Hawaii to various military commands, including PACAF, CINCNORAD, and CINCPAC. Project 10073 evaluated the report and concluded that there was insufficient data for a definitive identification. While the possibility of satellite decay was considered, the investigators noted that there was no record of satellite decay for that date. The possibility of a bolide (meteor) sighting was also suggested.