Project 10073 Record — Pittsburgh Area Sightings, August 1965

This document is a collection of reports and correspondence regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) sighted in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in August 1965. The primary report details an incident on August 13, 1965, involving a witness in Baden, Pennsylvania, who observed a disc-shaped craft at an altitude of approximately 300 feet. The witness reported that the object was surrounded by orange lights and emitted a blue light, followed by a 'shock wave' that caused leaves to rustle. The witness subsequently suffered from severe eye irritation and vision loss, which a doctor described as an 'Arc Welging' type burn, despite the witness claiming no recent exposure to welding. A second report from the same date describes a circular object sighted near Darson Ridge, which exhibited red and blue lights and emitted a white streak of smoke. The document also includes a summary from an investigating officer regarding a separate incident involving photographs of a UFO, noting that the witness was reluctant to provide the negatives to the Air Force. The final section of the document provides an explanation for many of these sightings, identifying them as a Citabria Champion advertising plane operated by AAA Sky Adds, Inc. The plane was equipped with a framework of lights that could be programmed to display messages, and when viewed from a distance or in misty conditions, the aircraft's appearance could be mistaken for an unconventional, silent, disc-shaped object. The official conclusion for the reported incidents is categorized as 'Other (HOAX).'