Amarillo, TexasJuly 1956

On the night of August 1, 1956, observers near Amarillo, Texas reported seeing a bright trajectory in the sky about ten miles to the southeast. The sighting lasted two hours and fifteen minutes. The observers described a light appearing in a cloud formation estimated to be fifty miles long, roughly the size of a grapefruit, with a faint hint of red. The object's position varied throughout the observation. A photograph was taken showing the pattern left by the object in the sky.

The Air Force's technical analysis of the photograph suggested the trail resembled those left by guided missiles in flight. Analysts noted that the zigzag, overlapping lines formed in the trail appeared similar to patterns created by missiles traveling at various altitudes, and ruled out lightning as an explanation. However, the closest known missile launch site to Amarillo was White Sands in New Mexico, approximately 300 miles away. The sharpness of the observed trail suggested the object was much closer to the observer than that distance.

Military officials sent queries to Fort Sill in Oklahoma, home to the Army Artillery and Guided Missile Center, asking whether any missile firings, artillery tests, or drone operations in the area might have produced the phenomenon. Fort Sill replied that no artillery firing occurred during the relevant time period. However, artillery illuminating rounds had been fired from the base in the hours before the sighting, and a malfunction of such a round could theoretically produce a brilliant falling light from altitudes as high as 28,000 feet. The analysis also considered whether the object might be a hoax or other miscellaneous phenomenon photographed against a dark background.

The Air Force concluded the case unidentified. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 22 pages.