Project 10073 Record — Sighting in Creston, Iowa, April 26, 1967

This document is a collection of records related to a UFO sighting reported in Creston, Iowa, on April 26, 1967. The primary witness, a 15-year-old male, reported observing a strange object at approximately 8:00 PM. According to the witness, the object was initially seen in the east-northeast at an elevation of about 45 degrees. It appeared as a dim red light that suddenly became a bright amber color, estimated to be four or five times brighter than a star of the first magnitude. The object remained stationary for about five minutes, during which time it changed colors between amber and red. The witness reported using a 6-volt flashlight to signal the object, after which it began moving west in a zig-zag pattern. The witness estimated the object's speed at 300 to 400 miles per hour at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet, emitting a sound resembling a jet but higher pitched. The Air Force Foreign Technology Division (FTD) evaluated the report and concluded that it contained insufficient information for a meaningful scientific evaluation. The FTD noted that weather data was missing and that the witnesses were adolescents. The case was ultimately categorized as potentially an aircraft, a balloon, or an unknown phenomenon. The file includes correspondence from the FTD to the witness requesting further information via FTD Form 164, as well as internal notes from Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla regarding the evaluation of this and other cases.