Banning, CaliforniaDecember 1954

On the evening of December 2, 1954, a bright light caught the attention of an observer in Banning, California. The object appeared to turn at a high rate of speed as it moved across the sky. The sighting lasted twelve minutes, and the observer reported watching a single object.

The object's movements were unusual. It seemed to turn sharply and traveled at what the witness described as a fast pace. The light at its center was notably bright, and the object itself had a brownish glow. According to the account, the object could stop in midair, then move straight up or down. It was first observed traveling toward the west at what the witness called a terrific speed before it stopped and dropped in altitude.

As investigators looked into the case, additional information emerged. It turned out that three T-33 trainer aircraft (basic military training planes) had been operating in the area around the time of the sighting. Follow-up interviews with the observer suggested that the reported sighting may have been prompted by the presence of these aircraft.

The Air Force concluded that the characteristics of the object pointed to a probable aircraft. No further investigation was deemed necessary. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives across nine pages.