U.F.O. Report — Hilo, Hawaii, 26 April 1967

On April 26, 1967, at approximately 2115 hours, a civilian couple in Hilo, Hawaii, observed an unidentified aerial object and reported it to local police, who subsequently notified the Hilo Tower. The tower operator and a weather observer also witnessed the object. The sighting lasted for seven minutes. The object was described as an illuminated cross, appearing smaller than a hand at arm's length, with five lights on each arm. The top of the object appeared to be constructed of orange and white striped parachute material, and observers noted four or five hula hoops positioned horizontally above the lights. The object moved in a smooth, straight path before disappearing instantaneously, as if a switch had been turned off. The weather at the time included scattered clouds at 2,000 and 4,500 feet. Major Jerry M. Mills of the 6486th Air Base Wing compiled the report for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In his analysis, Major Mills offered several speculative explanations, including a large plastic bag balloon equipped with candles or battery-powered lights, or a plasma phenomenon. However, he emphasized that these theories were unsupported by evidence. The report notes that similar, unexplained lights have been sighted over the Hawaiian islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu over the preceding three years. Despite being ruled insignificant under AFR 80-17 criteria in many instances, the frequency and nature of these sightings, particularly in remote areas, led the intelligence office to conclude that a reasonable explanation remained elusive.