Rovl .. d Oct80 DEPART~IIENT OF DEFENCE This cover is w be used only for official file series ncorded with Australian Archives Number AR 111 is to be used for working papt>rs. REPORTS ON .FLYING SAUCERS AND AE'RlAL OBJECT:i Referred to Referred 10 ARCHIVAL ACTION A'7'r1 f!:liu.J Ji:,~ .MiJ."?tJ q ib"i{ /J b>tlo)IC, 0 f.f!l :r t?Ji"~Y ~/If ~'tlJ IH.JlJ ~rce.. S t..7 ft{Jfl-73 f>Hvirx:.~<,'iWnib t'&fi(l f!N<1'1 f,ht o';lf{pJ~ c~ Jft.,.ty 7J.!JSA7i A 11tJ>t~-il~rt?t... lq,U t>41-Jil l!.H/;i< r !-lll/l7 ~ ltiJbi..ft SiJ.f1.-IK.J (,'f.IP,(J..C{ fo.JN Ill)_.} t(J...lr\llfl j) 12 LJt~i, P.~-t~w.l .26 In>!< H h.fJJ l.fi..Jif' f "' SubJect (AIR FORCE OFFICE) MINUTE PAPER P~CLASSIFI~ATION OF FILES Rr ~,rrnce: Dl(AF)AAP 810 para 326. DEFAIR 580/1/1 In acco!'dance Hith Reference A, all folios, in all parts of Department of Air File series 580/1/1 are reclaecified 'U JCL,\~SIFIED' tri th effect 7 May 82. CL1Ht1t..t. Rov"l Auttrllart At F'otc: A273-MEMORANDUM EFEREt<CES llr G. Clarke, 4 HcCulloch Street, DROL.'JL VIC 3936 He refer to your report or an unusual aerial sighting on 10th 1arch 1973. Althou~ the investigating te~ han been unable to con- clusively determine the cause of the si~ting, it is their opinion that the most pro .. able cause was a light aircraft ca.rryin_. out flying training !rom lloorabin under I'\ignt vis ual meteorolozical conditions. As the aircraft would have boen operating outsi de the Lolbourne control area, 10 flij:lt plan or fli.,:ht following radar is required. ~e red l ights observed were probabl y the port wing navigation light and. the anti-collision light of the aircraft. Low a ltitude would account for the aircraft' s apparent fast c ove- rnent and for short periods of time it would appe~ to remain s t at i onary whi l ot turnin~ or banking in flight, particularly when travell~ in a si~lar direction to your car. We regret that a time dolay between the submission of this report and its receipt at this Department precludes confi~tion of this the ry. \ e therefore tru t that the explanation ia satisfactory and thank you for your in.erest . ours faithfully, ( C. J . ODGEFm) Dir,ctor of Public Rel atione TElEPHONE 399-1311 RESTRICTED ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE Headque.rters ., '"' '1 ::. LAVERTOlJ VIC 3027 OHmLYouoll BS 5/4/Ar!}..t1) 7th June 1973 ~rtment of Air (ATTN: DAFl R1 ) Headque.rtere Support Command (ATTN: C mTEL 0) REPORT ON UFO SIGHTED IN BALCOImE AREA Forwarded in accordance with HQSC 5/6/Am(27) dated 11th August 1972, are copies of a report of an unidentified flying object sighted in the Balcombe area on the 10th May 1973. (J .A. DDIES) Squadron Officer for Officer Commanding Mcloeure: 1. Two copies of UFO report and findings RESTRICTED RESTRICTED INVESTIGATING OFFICER'S REPORT Oll THE SIGHTING OF AEl UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT AT BALCOMBE ON 1 OMAY73 INTRODUCTIO?i 1. On the 10th ~!ay 1973, the Duty Air Trafi'ic Controller received a call rom Mr. G. CLARKE of Dromana concerning an UFO sighting at 6.1 0 p.m. that evening. The object was also sighted by Mr. Clarke's wife and two children. 2. t1r. Clarke was interviewed over the phone and a proforma was sent to him to !'ill in and return. 3. hr. Clarke stated that he had observed two flashing red lights when he was in the vicinity of the Balcombe A:rrrry Camp on the Nepean Highway. The lights crossed the highway behind his car and followed it for approximately three miles and then sped away to the east. The lights were estimated by Mr. Clarke to be between 75-100 ft AGL and stationary for approximately 10 minutes. \f.hen it moved it appeared to cover 900 ft in one second. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS 4. The following aspects were considered in attempting to find a satisfactory explanation: a. Aircraft. There were no known military aircraft in the vicinity at the time of sighting. Moorabin reported one aircraft overhead Cowes at 0825Z and Moorabin 0900Z but also advised that if an aircraft had been flying NOSAR in the area no details are available due to no record being kept on these aircraft flights. 14elbourne radar at Tullamarine advised that they had no moves occu ing in the 1-!ornington Peninsula area at the time of the sighting. b . Visual Satellites. There were no visible satellite passes at that time due to cloud cover. l~eteorolo,g:ical Balloons. A balloon was released from Laverton at 1050Z which was well after the sighting occurred and it did not have a light. Local Phenomena. Uil. e. Meteorological Conditions. ~t 0800Z, the weather in the area was: wind-surface 270/11 as height increased turned to a north westerly. cloud -i cumulus 3500 ft, 6/8 strato-cumulus 5000 ft. temp -dry bulb 15C, de1~ point 8C. inversions -1oc at 5000 ft measured from LRverton at 1100Z. f . Celestial 3odies. Not visible due cloud cover. CONCLUSION 5. The fla~;~hing red lights observed were most probably aircr oft navigation or anti-collision li~hts. They possibly belonged to an aircraft tracking from or to Mora bin Airport in night Vl~C (Visual Neteorologice.l Conditions) RESTr.ICT .D RESTRICTED If it was a night VMC flight, the aircraf t would have been flying in the vicinity of the coast i'rom and to f:oor abin, 6, Due to the low cloud, the aircraft would have had to remain below cloud to maintain VNC, This and the angle of elevation of the lights to the viewer would explain the low height. 7. Mr. Clarke said that the lights had cr~ased the hiehway in front of his vehicle as be vas travelling north, then they remained stationary to the west, The lights then crossed the highway behind his car and followed it before speeding off to the east. This sug~ests that the whole time that Hrf Clarke observed the lights, he was vielli.ng the port wing tip flashing red navigational lights and/or flashing anti-collision liehts. 8 . The probable cause of th.e two flashing red lights, '"as an aircraft on a night VMC training fligh~ from Moorabin Airport, RESTRICTED Flying Officer Investigating Officer. MINUTe PAPER tThfs side only 10 be wrnton Ol'\) ROYAL AUSTRI\LIAN A IR FORCE fa~SSAGE FORI fOR COMM Ctl'.tSIGNAl S USE DATE -TINE GROUP pi\EC~OENCE -ACTIO~'< I PRECEDENCE -INFO / J-MESSAGE INSTRUCTIONS --..=c:==--- SECURITY CLASSIF ICATION clow(lcd Rtstt,~ICd or nbov) (M~srog~s t (rfrmg to q cloui/itd meuoge mt~u be ------~-t--01\IGIN-ATOI\'SNUMBER - RElEASIN G OFFICER'S SIGNo\T-.11\f l'o;D RANK RESTRJ:CTE.'D REPO"R.T ON UNUSUAL Al:IUAL SIGETING PART I -RBPORT IW. OBSEHVER ;;,.~.-As c;. p:;climine.::r ~o. cornplctin this form, th'l observer ., is mvJ.ted tlo aescrJ.oo the :na in his or her own "' .;manner, using eit:.er separa~ .... Sh1.~ts or the back of , , this i'orm). How f3r.liliar is obsa::-ver w.:.tll th:.s locality? ................................ . 3 . ~13Cribc any ~ds/~qui~<ent USed in thu 003crvation .................... 9 . \-ihorc viaS object first observed':' 11. If thcru wa;, rr.o1e tban one light/ tlbjeet': ?..ESTRICTED 1.3. Hhnt was the brightness? (com.naro '"ith full moon or common light source at a stntud distance, eg ordinary street light at 100 yard:;), , . . -.::'.':" .. ~(: . 14. \/hat was tho apparent. size at n~arest approach?: Relative to V~;~nus or Moon{. row t ,, t ,. ' , - ,, ~. 1 Helativu dimensions in inches at ~-m's length (about 20 inchas 15. \Vhat were th~ bearing and elevation angles at earost approach and hew 17. Dusoribo :my sound heard, including changes in pitch and intensity 18, What. was tht1 m.xd.J:lUJ:l ar1d minburn angle of elevation (or height, if an 19. \olhat was the maximum a:;d !:linimmr. angular velocity (or speed, if an estL te can be justified)? If ~ecess~ry, ccrr~ar0 with the movement DCJ:>crib:l 22. Describe 2.3. \Jhere was object last obsei"'cd: a . Relative to your sur-roundings.?! .P!/1!J. ~fuat was the ma."lner of its d~sappearanco? .............................. 25. Do you knO'.~ of any associated physical evidence (such as i"ragmont s , photographs, scorching, ground identations, residual magnetisrr. or 26. State any training whicn ?nables ?bsei"!er to be rcason~bly certain of his/her ability to estLT~te angles and angular veloc uy ................... RESTRICTED Rl".STRICTED Do you ~ow of witnesses t.o smilar sightings in the arGI\'f ,../ tJ \v'hat natural phenomenon (or phenoml?na) uld be wo noarc~t to explaining your observation" I ~., t , ,~ ~:hat are your main reasons for excludi.'1g th. s 1 . Please sketch thu light/object with ull detai:s. If appropriate, sketch position and/or movement of object in relation to , ,, surroum :L"lgs. Use back oi' form, if needed. RES'l'RIGTED it":STRICTED P'l.rt 2 -ilni.t EV'<lunt.ion ,;,~:1. 'l'hd t'vJ.l...,...,.tr.~ ... .tJ.:t~U't &.ll'<>l'Cd'~> wera in t.h& vJ.cini...,, <)t !.hO ropprt.od ~00 position at the time: J). ;,,, ;'ollcML..,~ c ivil airn::'\fr; tF rc :i.. thn Ti.cirlit;y of !.C.o rcpo;rtod UFO