Project 10073 Record: UFO Sighting, Bellevue, Ohio, 7 December 1967

This document collection details the investigation of a UFO sighting reported by Robert A. Overhelt in Bellevue, Ohio, on December 7, 1967. The witness, a student, reported observing a saucer-shaped craft with a white light on the bottom and red revolving lights on the side. He claimed to have been in a car with friends when they attempted to follow the object, which he estimated to be 50 to 75 feet in diameter. The report includes multiple iterations of correspondence between the Air Force's Aerial Phenomena Office (Project Blue Book) and the witness, as well as internal assessments by Air Force personnel and Dr. J. Allen Hynek of Northwestern University.

Internal Air Force assessments, specifically a draft by Lt. Marano, highlight significant inconsistencies in the witness's testimony. These include conflicting statements regarding the distance of the object (ranging from 300 feet to eight miles) and the number of witnesses present. The Air Force ultimately classified the event as 'Possible (AIRCRAFT),' concluding that the object's flight characteristics were not impossible for an aircraft and that the witness's account was unreliable, noting that the witness had access to a 'green 164 reporting form' previously published in a magazine.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, acting as a consultant, challenged the Air Force's conclusion. In a letter dated July 9, 1968, Hynek argued that if the composite testimony of the witnesses were taken at face value—specifically that the object stood still, flashed, and flickered—the aircraft explanation was 'untenable.' He suggested that further interrogation was necessary to determine if the object's 'standing still' was a result of radial motion or a genuine hover. Despite Hynek's recommendation for further investigation, the Air Force maintained its assessment that the sighting did not represent a threat to national security or provide information of scientific value.