100 NM WNW of Kalispell, MontanaFebruary 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 20, 1961, an Air Force T-33 jet crew sighted an oblong, cigar shaped object about 100 nautical miles west northwest of Kalispell, Montana. The aircraft was at 39,000 feet, above a flat cirrus deck. The object was visible for about 10 seconds. The observers were military officers rated excellent.

The object was described as the size of a dime to a pea. It was green, changing to dull orange. It was about 30 degrees above the horizon when first seen and dropped toward the horizon. The crew said it was not moving fast enough to be a star. It suddenly broke up and then disappeared in about one second. A possible short trail may have caused its shape.

The Air Force card states the description and duration are characteristic of a type of meteor called a bolide. It concludes the meteor was apparently becoming a bolide when the witnesses saw it.

Reported location

100 NM WNW of Kalispell, Montana

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

MT / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

; . - . PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD ~~
J 1. DATE i LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
O Was Bolloon
20 Feb 61 100 NM WNW of Kalispell, MontanfO Probably Bolleon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION SN Tee
RI O Ground- Visual O Ground-Rader 5 Probuty Rovere
BIT OT 8 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aireroft
5. "PHOTOS | - SOURCE g Was Astronomical UeTeos \
: QO Yes Probably Astronomical
No Military D dh gioincs Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION " NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BE DIN iiumpiiisiasaismiss i
: O Insufficient Dete for Evaluation
O Unknown §
10 Sec i
| 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Oblong, cigar-shaped 11. COMMENTS Description and duration is |
objt, size of dime to pea, green changing to | characteristic to type of meteor |,
dull orange. Broke Pp before disappearance. called a bolide. Meteor was apparently
Possible short trail causing shape. A/c in process of becoming a bolide when
reported objt not moving fast enough to be witnesses saw it.
a star. Appeared 30° above horizon. Disappear- |
ed on horizon. Suddenly broke up, then
disappeared in one sec.
2 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
| 3 | y
: 2 ; V] ies
3 3 8,

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991488