Project 10073 Record — Sighting at Wichita Falls, Texas, 31 March 1966

On the night of March 31, 1966, a series of sightings occurred near Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. The primary witness, a civilian woman, first observed a bright light through her window at approximately 2240 hours. She initially mistook the object for a shooting star, but soon heard a roaring noise and observed a short, round contrail trailing behind the object. The object exhibited flashing red, green, and white lights that would fade and brighten. She reported that the object moved back and forth from east to west at an estimated distance of five miles, eventually departing to the west at 2350 hours. Air Police were dispatched to the scene and confirmed the sighting, observing the object for approximately 15 minutes. The Air Police witnesses, SSgt Robert J. Ray and SSgt William H. Neville, noted that the object's movements were from north to south during their observation, and they estimated it to be 10 miles away. They stated they were familiar with aircraft at night and did not believe the object was a conventional aircraft. An investigator compared the object's movements to a race-track holding pattern used by aircraft over a navigational aid, and the witnesses agreed the movements were similar. However, the Wichita Falls Approach Control and the Fort Worth Air Traffic Control Center confirmed that no air traffic was in the area during the period of the sighting. The official Air Force report, filed by Major Byron J. McDaniel, concluded that the object could not be identified due to insufficient information and no indication of its origin. The weather conditions were reported as clear with no ceiling and visibility exceeding 15 miles.