Project 10073 Record — Sighting of 23 November 1968, Newton, Georgia

This document contains the comprehensive records of a UFO sighting reported by an accounts adjuster on the night of November 22, 1968, near Newton, Georgia. While driving east on Highway 91, the witness encountered a large, brilliant, yellowish-white light hovering approximately 50 to 75 feet above the road. As he approached, his vehicle's engine cut out, his radio faded into static, and his headlights failed. The object, described as an oblong, football-shaped light about 40 to 50 yards in diameter, emitted a well-defined beam of light downward toward the road. The witness observed the object for several minutes before it changed color to a bright reddish-orange, retracted its beam, and ascended vertically at an extremely high rate of speed, disappearing within seconds. After the object departed, the witness's car engine restarted on its own, and the electrical systems resumed normal function. The witness, who was initially hesitant to report the event due to fear of ridicule, eventually contacted the local sheriff and later provided a detailed account to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, the Air Force's scientific consultant. The investigation included a transcript of a lengthy telephone interview between Hynek and the witness, in which the witness maintained his account despite the skepticism of others. Military authorities at Moody Air Force Base and Fort Rucker were consulted to determine if any helicopter activity could explain the sighting, but no such activity could be verified. The official conclusion of the investigation, as documented in the Project 10073 record, remained 'Unidentified,' with investigators noting that the witness appeared forthright and honest, and that no conventional stimulus could be identified.