Project 10073 Record — New Orleans, La, 17 May 1966

On May 17, 1966, at approximately 0040Z, a civilian witness in Arabi, Louisiana, reported observing four silver, disc-shaped objects while watching an aircraft flying from east to west. The witness, identified as an electronics engineer for the Boeing Space Division, stated that the objects were hovering near the wing tips of the aircraft and remained with it as it made a turn, eventually dropping out of sight. The report was initially received by Special Agent Lewis H. White of the Office of Special Investigations (OIS) at the Federal Building in New Orleans. Following the report, Captain Samuel P. Wheate of the Keesler Air Force Base Operations Services Division conducted an inquiry. He contacted the New Orleans airport and confirmed that a National Airlines flight from Mobile to New Orleans was landing at the time of the sighting. However, inquiries with the flight crew and passengers revealed that no one on board had noticed anything unusual. The official Air Force conclusion for the incident was that the objects were likely aircraft engine exhaust condensate. This conclusion was contested by the observer, who maintained that the objects were positioned off the wing tips rather than behind the wing, where exhaust condensate would typically be expected to appear. The documentation consists of a Project 10073 record form and a series of incoming staff messages from the Department of the Air Force, detailing the incident and the subsequent investigation.