Project 10073 Record — Sighting Report, Dayton, Ohio, 5 May 1968

On May 5, 1968, at approximately 2043 hours, a civilian witness in Dayton, Ohio, reported observing an unidentified aerial object. The witness, a foreman at Ohio Aviation Co., described the object as a bright red, three-cornered shape, approximately seven feet long, with fins. The object was observed for five to ten seconds, moving from north to south, and appeared to be 'arking into the ground' without making any noise. The witness also noted a possible slight rolling motion during the object's passage. The Air Force, through the Aerial Phenomena Office of the Foreign Technology Division, reviewed the report. Lt. Colonel Hector Quintanilla, Jr. initially informed the witness that the information provided was insufficient for a scientific investigation and requested the completion of an AF Form 117. Following the submission of the questionnaire, the official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the sighting was a 'possible meteor.' This determination was based on the duration and flight path of the object, which were consistent with meteor observations. The investigators noted that while the witness reported fins on the object, no other reports of an UFO were received in the Dayton area, leading them to categorize the event as a likely meteor.