Project 10073 Record — Cold Bay AFS, Alaska, 26 October 1966

This document contains the Project 10073 record regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on October 26, 1966, at Cold Bay AFS, Alaska. The witness, an FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist and private pilot, reported observing a white, circular object approaching the runway at an altitude of approximately 50 to 75 feet. The witness noted that the object moved at a speed comparable to a large aircraft, such as a B-707, but did not produce any sound. Upon the runway lights being turned up to better observe the object, it accelerated rapidly down the runway, veered southwest, and climbed. The witness described the light as sustained and not blinking, noting it appeared to move up and down slightly as if affected by the air. The observation lasted approximately three seconds. The witness attempted to use field glasses but was unable to do so due to the object's speed. The document includes a formal questionnaire completed by the witness on December 20, 1966, and a follow-up letter from Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., Chief of Project Blue Book, dated December 14, 1966, requesting the completion of the FTD Form 164. The witness provided detailed sketches of the object's path and noted that it disappeared by climbing out of sight behind a mountain. The witness explicitly stated that the object was not a balloon or a known aircraft. Radar operators at the site reported no contact, attributing the lack of data to ground clutter on the scope. The official conclusion recorded for the incident is 'Unidentified'.