Project 10073 Record: Fireball Sighting, 5 Aug 69

This document is a collection of records and correspondence regarding a widespread fireball sighting that occurred in the early morning hours of August 5, 1969, across Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The Air Force's Foreign Technology Division (FTD) received numerous reports from civilians, law enforcement, and other agencies. The phenomenon was characterized by many witnesses as a brilliant, multi-colored object—often described as a 'fireball' or 'miniature sun'—that moved rapidly across the sky, leaving a luminous trail. Some witnesses reported hearing a sonic boom or cracking noise shortly after the visual event. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory officially identified the event as an extremely bright meteor, or fireball, that burned up upon entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The FTD actively collected reports, sent out questionnaires (AF Form 117) to witnesses, and coordinated with the American Meteor Society to determine the trajectory and impact point of the object. Despite the intensity of the reports, no meteorite was recovered.