Project 10073 Record — Sighting of 17 January 1969, Crittenden, Virginia

On January 17, 1969, at approximately 0324 EST, Roman K. Lupton, a NASA Test Facility Mechanic, was awakened in his home in Crittenden, Virginia, by a loud, pulsating sound described as similar to an electric motor or transformer under load. Upon looking out his bedroom window, he observed a large, cigar-shaped object with amber lights arranged in an elliptical pattern along its bottom. The object, which he estimated to be 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, moved slowly in a forward direction with an up-and-down motion before executing a banking left turn. The witness reported that the object appeared to be made of metal with glass windows. The sighting lasted between 90 and 120 seconds. Mr. Lupton reported the incident to the Air Force at Langley Field. Subsequent investigations by the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) involved inquiries to the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Naval Air Station in Norfolk, and the U.S. Army at Fort Eustis to determine if any helicopter activity could explain the sighting. All agencies reported negative results regarding helicopter operations in the vicinity of Crittenden at the time of the incident. The witness also contacted the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) and discussed the event with colleagues and neighbors, some of whom also reported hearing unusual sounds. The official conclusion of the Air Force investigation was that the object remained 'UNIDENTIFIED'.