PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 12. CONCLUSIONS 2. LOCATION 40 lni \-1 of Santa Rosa Island, o Was Balloon fl"",.. 1 C 1 f i 0 Probably Balloon ._ TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Was Aircraft 0 Ground-Vhual 0 Ground-Radar 0 Probably Aircraft D Possibly Aircraft GMT 170200Z m AI,.. Visual D Air Intercept Radar l2l Probably Astronon~icol 3. DATE-TIME GROUP D Possibly Astronon~Jcol yTION 1. NUMB!R Oil OBJECTS 9. COURS! D Other--~- --:--~ 7. LENG H 0 " " D Insufficient D.te for Evaluation D Unlcnowtt 10. BRIEII sUMMARY Of SIGHTING Round obJect, size of coMMNTSnescription of object is chara - basketball. Blueish white, like an electric ~,.c. teristic of a meteor breaking up in No definate foraaation. Object seen by pilot; the earth's atmosphere. passing off port side object broke into severs~ smaller pieces. Appeared 15, 280. Object descended and broke up into many pieces, then faded out. ATIC FORM ll9 (RKV 26 SEP 52) SECU,.ITY CLAS811"1C.. 'If JOINT MESSAGE.FORM UNCLASSIFIED SPACe BBLOW RI!SHRVI!D POR COMMUNfCATION CI!NTI!R PRECEDENCE . TYPE MSQ (Chttlf) ACCOUNTING ORIG. OR RIEP"ERS TO ACTION u.vu 4 .44~ BOOIC MULTI SINOLa CLA8SIJ'ICATION OP" RIEJ'IERIENCIE S~IECIAI. IN8TRUCTION8 ATIC w-P AFB SANTA ROSA ISLAND AFS, CALIF /r.JJr'~7'8ft. /UNCLAS/ CIN-4E2x 669TH ACWRON, YOUR MSG 1381, DTD 17 JAil 61, rtPTG THE SIGHriNG OF A UFO. THE INFO RPTD IS ViZRY L UliTED IN NATURE, P~CL~IDI~G A VALID CONCLUSION. REQ MORE DSLA TLED INFO BE RPTD IN ACCORDANCE 'tiiTH u:fCLASS rFIJ:D RI:~LAC8 DD FORM 173, 1 OCT 48, WHICH WILL BIE USIED UNTIL EXHAU8TIED ; t"~ -'! lS T LEAIJ t"lREt.iAL L (A l j ,!,:~) T~E H0R1ZC.~! A.T:.DUSJ\, LIGHTED l'P I~CP L~ CALlrc~:t-\lt, 'T( l~HT, .ALARi'1lN~ niCUSA:--:IJS G .P.ESlDrtiT$ Al..REALY [;.;y ;-,ECAL~E. CF R ECE~lT _l\E!.?LAI D -"'t''"<',~.=~EPCR1S o;i SlGMTINGs CAME .~-Rt.1 ~A~,L leG(, CN T PF. t-:rXICC bOKDE:R " .. }:VSTERIGUS ;-IRDJALL TO ~ARI~ .. CCu~;ry CR1H. vr~ SA:~ la"~A~C(SCC,. . :< . -'f'~i~{ JUST L:AST:h:A~Tv)H GHT , J..l" 0 K El\ THNE:-:i: GL~ rL.:.s H CF L.I G ~T i.>il I GHT[NtD nt.E SKY IN SO.UT;HERN OREGvN AND NCRTH~RN CALIFCfi~JrA, LlGHTir:G EUREt<A, 1. THE AIR fORCE AT VA~:DENP~Jh: l\ lf. t Ci1CE 2./\E C. 1~i. Cu~1PAL CALil:~F.Nl f , ~EPE NO u.s. P.OCKET ;; lfi lL\~S AT T~E T 1r: THE ~TH;,r:GE LI GH1 ~AS SED\ TCN&Sf'1R i'Yl..SRIEI'ISl' O'llGSit7ST <S ?i~ . f.~T>.. wERE NC u.s . ROCKIT ;JRINGS AT THE Tl!~! Tr~E S'TH1\~.CE LIGHT t.-AS SEEI~ ~:~ . . APP~itENiLY '&RIG~1fST C..VER SOUTHf?~, C r,L i uF\ I~, IT-hS 'LESCRlb11 . .. ~ A wl~D BUT &Rill;. I ANT bALL cr ;-L if Tj;AlLI ~ULT !ClLO~ED GLOt,.. DESCrclPTIONS.Lf THE F!FEcALl. \i.~xlL A~ TC 'l~ T<~ IT'~-~ SIGl1TEt . !..~ ASSUME lT WAS A ~iE1'ECR oREAi<l~:u t.;P, 5.01!. P S?C.KF~A~ AT THE Cl'v' IL ,\::P.ONAUTICS TP.Ar~"'lt~C CO TRCl CE:~1rR 1 .. LCS A~!~ELFS. cuT IT LOOK E.~ LIKE A SA TELL ll R tE~!T f.l-< lN G ThE EA~TH 'S .. ;; CS ?r f.f<E. ~ ~ .... AI~ ;GRCE MAJ l~'.J NEU~IB,TH, A ~r.::t)Ek c; TH!. ~,;LLISTlC ~jlSSILF. M~Yr~ c~:E TP.A~ '~AS l. . BR.EAi<.!~ tw l!P., .. BUT lT i.'AS B~IGHT--cr~ lL.)-'1tJ<. 1r.A AN\'THl:"-!'..: I'VE SEN." ~ ... /; THE VENTURA .AND SANTI~ i>A~BA~A sr.~i< -~s t.ifiL:~ t,Ef~E ~\.A~J?ED 'lT~ ('.C~LL~--A~ WERE~MC.~T A!(!:A L.At-: ENiCF<CE!V, 1 <: lC::~. CA.Ll.E~S TG TH(iSE" : n,c. O~'"FlCtS,~:.~C~ .. tVEfi, SAil lT. LCCKfi . l.I:-<t:.1}-E ~Ji:,.'FtT rELL ~EAk SAN. . aJt~T~ SEE--A'~HITf. .ALL Cf ;.L~:.E Si t~hl .:,ltr' f.:EI.;J,l5ti-Cft,\~GE. SPARKS. f. AY LEAD ~lRrBALl. . !]JJi(R~ '0Tf--Y.'HEN A LAxGt METFCR fLASHEL 'ACRCSS CALl~"Ci<NlA LAST N 1 G rtT IT TOUCHED Of~ A S Ef< IE ll'. ., 1 L D-A~ .:_: F ,'\ LS E--R E?GRTS THAT ffi0\1 IDE A CLASS IC,.~TUDY IN THE of.G II\~: IN~ C.F PANIC THF fCLL. ING ~1CRY IS A PROf.~CE.'~Of TH~ .INC lP!ENT PA:, IC, JJC'-t IT DE\1 LOPED AND HO'N : ,;;::LOS A~GEl..fSJ~[JAN . 17 (.UPI>-.-IT oEGAN CAL~iLY l GUG~: A ~iYSTERl(JUS DR.itHT LlGHT''lt/AS .... 'SEEN FLASH'tNG ACROSS 1HE SKY Tf.tAILlN~ A GLO'.'ING, . BD"CR~ IT ENDED THER:~ \.,ERE FlEt-'0~1~ T~A1 ~-lhE.S t.\hi:. f(f'd~lNG .. ;1lfJt9UGHOUT C~1..lf9'R~IA, .. THAT. Ml.lAl l:I.u~lS A~D SPA~XS ~Ef\E RAINING .ii?IROKr .. THE SKY ANir~iHAT A MAN-MAIJ. SATE'LLlTf. HAii ?LUN;EL T0 EARTN . . ..1 .. t: itl.L THE liEPORTSt, WDE ):ALSE ~CEPT lHE 1 IRST : cNE. THERE HAD .. . 'of .~"':.-~:tiD bEEN A ~Rl.GHT i~LASK. ;lT ~AS CAU~t:D,_ ASTr.Gt'O~iERS bEll EVE; BY -Ar;~.KUGE t~ET0R T~l&tA2ElJ THROUGH Tt-iE Al<TH'S AT~10SPHRE,,.. U.AvlNC A }->'1R,Y Tx.~ll THAT .. iwAS Si:N IN MUCH Oio" CALI CRNIA A~;D AS ~AR AS . ~J'lf.~rM I L!.S INLANIP~flN NE\! ADA. ~. ,-. . .. -"ll 'NAS NARLY..AN HCLR BEFORE T~E riYST'F.RIO~US FLASH COlJLD BE .. lDENTli'IilJ. DUR~lNG THAT TIME. A RlSll\G TlLE. Of ?_.\NIC SEEME:ll TC CVExTAK ' .. M.\N.,Y . G EN~ ALl:.'tl. R[['.IASL E o;r lC 1 ALS \. H C S uON wE~ l ~ E?EAT Ir-; ~ FANTASTIC . .;:!.UPl'S LOS'ANcnrs EL:RE.AU riRST GvT !lPPEIJ.C.N THE r Ir;ESALL SHCRTLY .ER 6 Pe .M. ~Y~lTS ~HC10 B~R[AU flANA~ ff\, ((AY ~iAI1CNEY, C SIGHTE.L 1HE t'llAS'H wHILE ATKOtiE. ~ . t '-v ' .. A.'SER IFS OF~CALLS TC PCL.ICE; .,LOS A~GELf.S lNTi:RNATlui'4AL Alf<PCtFcT iH CIVIL AERdNAUTlCS A:;ENCY AND VAi\l)~bFf.'G AIR ;cRCF SASE &f<Ot:GHf ~oRTH. Er~CUCH lN}'OR~AtlCN 10 ~ARRANT A t;RGE.\iT STvf<Y ThAT A~ APPARENT 1{\ft:L-METEOR HAit-.ttASHtD ACRCSS THE AREA. . ~.t.r:_ ~l'MEN A FLOOD .. OF~.If;COMING CALLS ~P.cM CORRLSPCNDL~TS T~ROUGHCUT ~ -~IFO~Nl~ TO SlJREAUS IN LCS ANGLf.S, SA~ liiEG0 SAN ;RA~CISCO . ... ANU..._:SACRAMLNTO~.BECAN TI.KlNG ON AN ASPECT Of RCMGR AND PANIC. IN. SAN ) .. RANClSCOj lTwAS fCEPORTElJ . li{[ ~AS RAGil\G It\ MONTERREY. ICIALS IN MONT~REY SAlD NofiR.ES t.Ef<E THEf<E &UT Tt1EY HEARD . . : .. t . fiRE iRUCK5.t;14AR ROLLING. Al.L'GVrR LUS ANGi:Lr.s. THERE wERI: . ':~IN. LO.S. ANGEJ!ES ALTHOUGH. THERE ~MERE SCME FALSt.Al.AHMS . - , AIR.FORO,t:gFrf IAt~.FROM KAMILTCN AIR t.ORCE &AS SAID H.UNDrnsrc,oiJ . -"~ALIIORNl'~"il>lS~stER O).flC['; IN SACJ<AM~To HAD FtEPOHTS o~. flfcES IN EKSfln.D 'AN~:~s: TA BARBARA, BU!. ori .. ICIALS IN THCSE CtNTRAl;CITlES p THAT OUTSID!jOF..NUHROUS .FALSE ALARMS. TKY THOUGHT ).'IRES 'MRE 'INC IS TH t. MODIS TO AREA :.~ & -:.!HE FIRE RUMORS HAD GON[ FULL. CIRCLE. THE v~LY INDIC.ATICN CF WHAT l&LY STAR1D,. TK RUMORS lliAS SCM co~:TRCLL[D ~ UxNING c; WDS HAT TIME a~O);).~:IC lALS I!'l ~A~TA cARbARA COUNTY. . PASS~s-a.y.~'IN~tHt AREA AP?Af<El'Tl.Y CCN ECTf.I; THE CCNTRCl.LED FIHF..S ~ITH TH ~ ;lRESALL. e .. ' : I I r~c.v. EIJwARL~ Al'it )Q};C[ &ASE rJEAR LCS ANGFLF.S Tr~' c'A.~E Tt4E ~?Cf<T-- Ui rFIClAL--TMAT IT wAS SELIEVD THE Alf< Fv~CE TkACKING SlATlON AT NARD HAD TRACKED THE FIREBALL. ACCO~DING TO.THE filPORT THE FIREBALL !::LL 1 THE PACli"IC lJ HILtS 011: SA~ CLf'~L\JTf. ISLAND IN THE GENERAL T HR !:[ TEL PHONE CALLS TO OX NARC AND CALL~ T 0 THE TR AC Kl~ G S TATI CNS .~T ?OINT .AAGUi:Ll.O AND POINT MUGU 0}. THE Pl\ClFIC. BALLISTIC it1ISSILE RANGE ALL FAILED TO CONriRM THE REPORT. -~ THEY ALSO }"AILED TO CON)'"lRM REPORTS )"R'OM \\'lliL.Y SCATTERE.D AREAS TliAT THE FIRE&ALL ACTUALLY. WAS A MISSILF. OR MA~MADI: SATELLITE BREAKING l.P IN THE~ ATMCSP HER E. ~, . . OTHER REPORTS--ALL CHECKD OUT AND ALL PRG\I[D }"AL.SE-t.:ERE THAT THE . i1REBALL SMASHED INTO 'THE NOLLY~OOD HILLS C~HlCH ARt DL"JSELY POPULATflJ }' ntAT IT CRASHED INTO A VALLF.Y NEAR L10P.ON AND THAT MrTAL PIECES JtRoM IT wE~ r f OUND. . THE Rl.PORTS AGAIN PROVED TO BE FAL.SE, AND AS IN CTHER CASES A?PARE.~1- LY GRill UP ~AS A' MISUNDERSTANDING BTt.EEN AT L.\ST THREE ~OURCIS,. IN 1 THIS CASE'.THI:'JLANCASTER SHRlf.)-:s S'rATION lN LOS ANGLF.S COUNTY, . . . ., . EDWARDS ''AF8 ANt TM t C IV lL.DEJ:ENSE t.ARNINC S YSTtM. . ~-. . All TOLD AN STIM.AtIr:~ .. TD.?HCNS WERE MAD TO THE UPl LOS . NiGELES BUR!Aa DURING TKE FIRST FRANTIC HOtR Cf.THE fiREBALL REPORT, . AND ABOUT Q. OUTGOING CALLS TO CHCK THE STORY WERE PLACED. . . IT -NDED-AS CA1.!1LY AS IT BEGAN, WITH T~ STORY REPC~TING THAT A . f".ETEOR HAD fLASH[!) ACRCSS THE SKY. TH STORY ~UCTED A SPOKSMAN )'"RCM ~UNT ~ll.SON O&SRVATORY.lN soUTHERN CAl.lfCRNIA SAYING SHC\iiRS Of ~ETEORS ,.ERE COMMON PtllODlCALlYTHt.S BACKINc; UP REPORTS 0)" BRIGHT METEOR SlGHTlNGS SUNDAY IN OREGON. AND NORTHERN CALifORNIA AND LATE 0 A i.st REP6R; OF R~ORS IN UPI'S STORY-~-~uT RJ:PORT!:RS LEARNED AC:AlN THE STANDARD OBJCT LESSON TC DCUBLE CHECK THElR SOURCES AND THIY 11f[R[ J.[)-T WONDERING AT THE DISTORTION AND ?lAIN FALSEHOODS THAT SCiiEHO~ SD1 TO SPRlNC. UP AT TH FIRST SIGNS Of PANIC. - . . ALTERNAT .. DAY LIAD FIRISALL . . UNITED PRISS lNTERNAT ICNAL . LOS ANCD.J3 JAN. 17 CUPl)A HUCE fiERY .MT[CR ~LASHED ACROSS THE BRICllT FLASH W S SIGHTED FROM SAN DltCO AT THE MUltO BORDR TO.NORTH Of SAN .. FRANClSC~ A DlSTANC 61 ABOUT 6.J~ MILES,-A