Arkansas Area, October 1960October 1960

Insufficient Data

Summary

In early October 1960, military pilots and civilian observers across Arkansas spotted a bright orange object moving through the sky. What appeared to be a mysterious sighting would eventually lead the Air Force on a rapid pursuit and a straightforward explanation.

The object was first spotted around 2355 (11:55 p.m.) on October 31, 1960, between 65 and 70 degrees above the horizon. It had an orange color, which investigators later determined was caused by sunlight reflecting off the object as the sun set. The balloon was moving east, and multiple witnesses spotted it from different locations. The Walnut Ridge control center saw the object on radar. Delta Airlines Flight 701, flying toward Texarkana, reported seeing the balloon. The tower at Blytheville spotted it again at 0120 (1:20 a.m.) the following day, describing it as both orange and silver in color and estimating it at 75 miles away and five times larger than the evening star.

Two Air Force interceptors, an F-47 and an F-102, were scrambled to chase the object. Both pilots managed to reach the balloon at 37,000 feet and confirmed visually that it was indeed a giant balloon. The pilots identified the object conclusively, ending the brief mystery.

The Air Force concluded that the sighting was a weather balloon launched to measure atmospheric conditions. The orange coloring that made it so striking to ground observers was simply the effect of the setting sun illuminating the balloon, the same sun reflection that caused some witnesses to describe it with a silvery hue. The case was closed with a probable balloon designation.

The full case file, comprising 53 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.

Reported location

Arkansas Area, October 1960

Date of incident

October 1960

State / country

? / XX

Page count

53 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 40

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 53

View transcribed text

MULTIPLE SIGHTING PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD :
— —— a Fe A A TS 4 ————————— + AS SS SS Sy Sr SS AA A SB A A 1 OE SA SR
1. DATE 2. LOCATION be CONCLUSIONS
a3 nak BO rlancsas Ares RN Was Balloon
1 Jd VCH 60 Ax nsas Area [m] Proboehly Balloon !
3. DATE-TIME BR0UP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ig LHL ial Dei
. x.
feed] loan ia Li Ground-Visual 3 Crovnd-Rodor a LS br .
21 /23557 01.027 8 it | abe
: oMT._31/2355% - 01/0102% 1 Ale Yisuol iJ Air-Intarcopt Raedor assibly Aircrart |
5. PHOTOS 8. SOURCE 2 1 Wos Astronomicel
0 Yas 3 es : 0 Probably Astronamicast
oO Ma ; Military and Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTM OF O33ZRVATION [ 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE RE RET Re ER
1 Insufficient Dato for Kvaluation
3 Unknown
- one -—
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING : ia 11. COMMENTS 0
ve. = a an was a - e » ~ 7 . 3.20.8 . Pe
8-47 and ¥-102 chased ballocen to 37,000 ft. Identified as balloon by pilots of efe,
Identified the object as a giant balloon. which acccmplished intercept at 37,000 ft).
Orange color presumed orange because of Sun. Balloon vas illuminated by the setting
Balloon roving E. At 31/2355 sighted betireen sun which was also responsible for the
65-70° fm horizon, and moving thru .50°longitudp coloring.
between 23230 and 2350. CCI sighted balloon at
Walnut Ridge fm ground. Delta Airlines flight
701 spotted ballcon on flight to Texarkana.
Towzr at Blythville sighted balloon at 01/0120%},
oranges and silver color and estimated it at
75 wi distance and 5 times lerger than evening
star,
tooth 1g ies 5nd ap ASE
ATIC FORM 327 (REV 26 SEP 52)
’
J |
at . roma SEER SRLS pain dal debbn : 1 i clita

/ 53

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28989939