PROJECT 1C073 ReCORD 2. LOCATION :->..oaring "';..rings, Texas iJAll LIGn'.:ING) '1. LENC Tr1 Of OBSERVATION 1' \"PE OF OBSERVATION 2-round Visual l OURSE '>. Pr.'.':iiCAL EVIDE NCE 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND MIAL YS IS Obsarver stated that t."le object aj~peared shaped rot:.rrl :..ike ..i a ball of fi~e. Object lias size of a vollyball. Colo:-: bright light yellow-gradually d:i.mninishing to yellow, or.:;.r.~e arrl red DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS 3500TH PILOT TRAINING WING (ATC) REESE AIR FORCE BASE. TEXAS 794 0 1 FTD (TDETR) \-/right-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433 A. (1) Round (ball of fire) . (2) Volleyball. (3) Bright light yellow-gradually diminishing to yellow, orange, One foot long at arms length. observe r standing near mov~ng tra~n. D. ( 1 ) Flash of light (similar to lightning ) illuminating area . (4) Straight line. ( 5) Trailed off to Elffi. l) Ground -visual. ( 2 ) Night. n=>.,.,ing Springs, Texas 79256; Clear; starlight. Surface 120/lOK ( 6) 92 Nt1 NH of Lubbock. (7) Surface -+26C H. A phenomenon knoto~n as fireball type lightning. Associated with light- ning bolts from thunderstorms when special conditions exist -Extreme downdraft activity. It follows the path of the lightning bolt. It bursts from the base of the cloud as a "ball of fire" and dimjnishes as its path formed by the lightning bolt dissipates. K . Capt Dean A Bernier, FV3005370, Asst Flying Safety Officer. I have investigated the u:o report by Hr Dick Carpenter on 5 June 1967 in accord- ance with AFR 130-17 and 17A. A thorough check \otith the Sheriff' s office, FAA and Dept of Public Safety produced no other sightings of this occurrence. I personally interviewed Mr Carpenter and he assured me he had seen bright meteors before and t i1at this ln no Hay resembled that type of t hing. His narrative descr:.;>tlon indicated that vlhat he sa..t was at high altitude and the munner in ~::-tich it dissipated leave s me this one explanation: There wer~ thund-:!rstor::\5 to the north and east of his location ..ti th tops at SOi-l a nd hases at 1911. Their movement to the ENE was o ve r gradually descending landsc<'lpe. !he weather personnel explained that under these conditions tremendous do..~ndrafts are established and a ohenomenon known a s "fireball" ligh-rning sometimes occurs. It erupts from the base of the c loud in the wake of a cloud-to-ground lightning strike. The lightning would account for the area being illuminated and his reaction time to look up would enable him to catch the fireball stage. The altitude would ma~,'! it <l:!f>-':!"i!':' clo~1r th.:tn .:r.tuality a nd go1.!1g :nrc1i; ~-the appearance of going av1ay from him DEA~ A BCRNIER, Capt , USAF'