Project 10073 Record — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 1966

This document contains the records of a UAP sighting reported on September 24, 1966, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A civilian witness reported observing an oval-shaped object with three lines of white electric bulbs circling it, moving slowly across the eastern sky. The witness noted that the object appeared to have a helicopter tail with a red light at its tip and moved in a low-altitude path, eventually heading south and then west until it was out of sight. The witness described the object as resembling a 'submarine hatch with lights around the circumference' or a 'theater marquee.' The Air Force, through the Foreign Technology Division, investigated the report under Project 10073. They contacted the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to determine if any aircraft, particularly those authorized for banner towing or aerial advertising, were operating in the Philadelphia area at the time. The FAA responded that they had no record of any unidentified flying objects in the area on that date and that their daily records and tapes were only retained for 15 days. The FAA provided a list of ten local operators authorized for banner towing, but none could be confirmed as having been active with a 'sky sign' on the night of the sighting. The final conclusion recorded by the Air Force was 'Possible (AIRCRAFT),' with the investigator noting that the object was likely a helicopter decorated with lights, though no definitive identification was made.