Project 10073 Record: Sighting Report - Eastman, Georgia, 8 April 1966

On the evening of April 8, 1966, at approximately 2005 hours, a civilian observer in Eastman, Georgia, reported a sighting of an unidentified flying object. The witness, a 41-year-old president of an oil distribution firm, was sitting on his patio when he observed a round, very bright object, comparable in size to two pinheads combined, passing through the Little Dipper constellation. The object followed a straight, parallel path toward the south, maintaining a level flight trajectory that the witness specifically noted did not resemble a meteor. The observation lasted between five and ten seconds, during which the object moved extremely fast from horizon to horizon before fading out due to distance. The witness, who had no technical or scientific background, was adamant that the object was traveling significantly faster and at a higher altitude than conventional aircraft. An investigation conducted by James R. Griffith of the Security and Law Enforcement Division at Robins AFB concluded that the object was likely a meteor, despite the witness's objections. A local weatherman also provided input, suggesting the object could have been a satellite, although he noted that a satellite would typically take approximately fifteen minutes to traverse the sky, contrasting with the witness's short observation time. No physical evidence, radar contact, or photographic documentation was associated with the event.