170 miles SW of Santa Rosa Island, CaliforniaMay 1957

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 1, 1957, at 5:10 a.m., two round, orange objects were sighted 170 miles southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California. An AEW&C aircraft crew observed the objects for about 30 seconds. The objects appeared to be afterburners on a jet. One object passed over the aircraft at 10,000 feet going east to west. Another object passed under the aircraft at 8,000 feet going west to east. The observing aircraft was flying at 9,000 feet. The witness thought the objects were afterburner glow from a jet aircraft because they looked like such. The Air Force concluded the sighting was probably an aircraft.

Reported location

170 miles SW of Santa Rosa Island, California

Date of incident

May 1957

State / country

CA / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 27

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE
5 May 1957

3. DATE-TIME GROUP
Local ___
GMT 05/1100Z

5. PHOTOS
Yes
No

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION
30 seconds

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING
Two objects, round, size of basketball color orange. Objects appeared to be afterburners on 102 a/c. One object passed over a/c in flight at 10,000 feet, going E to W. One object passed under a/c going W to E at 8,000ft. Observing a/c in flight at 9,000 ft.

2. LOCATION
170 miles SW of Santa Rosa Island, California

4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
Ground-Visual
Ground-Radar
Air-Visual
Air-Intercept Radar

6. SOURCE
Military

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS
two

9. COURSE
1 E to W
1 W to E

12. CONCLUSIONS
Was Balloon
Probably Balloon
Possibly Balloon
Was Aircraft
Probably Aircraft
Possibly Aircraft
Was Astronomical
Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical
Other
Insufficient Data for Evaluation
Unknown

11. COMMENTS
Observer thought objects were afterburner glow from 102 a/c because they looked like such.

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28969838