Carswell AFB, TexasFebruary 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 11, 1962, military and civilian witnesses near Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, reported an object in the sky. The sighting was made at 2220 local time (10:20 p.m.) and lasted about 10 to 12 seconds. It was seen from the ground and from the air, including by control tower personnel.

The object was a cylindrical, extremely bright ball of fire about the size of a baseball. It was white with a red tail that extended about 6 times the length of the object. It flashed across the sky from north-northwest to east-northeast and then disappeared instantly. There was no sound. An American Airlines flight between Tulsa and Amarillo also reported the object passing overhead.

The Air Force record card lists this case as astronomical, a meteor. The card notes the satellite tracking center confirmed the sighting was not due to a satellite decay. The object was probably a meteor, and its brightness suggested it was of the fireball class.

Reported location

Carswell AFB, Texas

Date of incident

February 1962

State / country

TX / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

< 1
} . g ” PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
1. DATE NTR 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
E 0 Was Balloon
| 11 Feb 62 Carswell AFB, Texas O Probably Balloon |
© | 3 DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION TES SE
2220 O Was Aircraft
g CY | ERE A A CN CS @ Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar QO Probably Aircraft
1 GMT 12/0k202 Hd Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft |
1 5. PHOTOS . SOURCE 2 Was Astronomical
0 Yes Z Probably Astronomical Meteo
EF R Ne Military and Civilian DO Possibly Astronomical & b
4 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE a Flo} | Em Coote SA
F A 0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation
: 10-12 sec one NNW-ENE O Unknown
3 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
3 A cylindrical, extremely bright ball of fire, SPADATS was contacted regarding satellit
F jaize of a baseball, white in color with a red |decays and this sighting could not possi-
4 tall, flashed across the sky from INW-ENE. The | bly be due to this. The object was proba-
E witnesses reported that object disappeared bly a meteor. The apparent brightness
§ instantly. No sound. further suggests that it was of the fire-
; : ball class. No information available
; indicating that this object was not a
j meteor or that it was a threat to the
security of the United States.
: ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
N . a

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996228