15 Mi S Of Cameron, ArizonaOctober 1958

On October 14, 1958, around 2:20 a.m., a military pilot flying a B-47 bomber aircraft at 30,000 feet spotted an unusual object in the sky 15 miles south of Cameron, Arizona. The pilot, a captain with the 340 Bomb Squadron based at Biggs Air Force Base in Texas, was an experienced instructor pilot. He said his attention was drawn to the object by a bright flash.

The object appeared as an elongated cylinder about the size of a baseball held at arm's length. Its width was roughly the size of a half-dollar at arm's length. The core glowed red, followed by white, with blue edges. The object had no visible tail, trail, exhaust, or other distinguishing features. It made no sound. The pilot watched it for three seconds as it descended at a shallow angle, then vanished instantly toward the southwest. When first spotted, the object was at 15 to 20 degrees elevation (angle above the horizon) and roughly 230 degrees azimuth (looking roughly southwest). When it disappeared, it was at 10 to 15 degrees elevation and 270 degrees azimuth (due west).

The pilot reported clear weather and unlimited visibility. Winds were reported at 340 degrees, 20 knots. The Air Force's Intelligence Officer who filed the report noted that the pilot's description of the object's size seemed suspect, since judging size at that distance and altitude is difficult. No photographs or physical evidence was collected. The Air Force concluded the sighting was probably a balloon, though the file also notes this conclusion was uncertain.

The complete case file of 18 pages is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.