COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADODecember 1952

On December 11, 1952, an Air Force sergeant and a civilian observed a round, aluminum-colored object flying from east to west near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The object appeared to change shape as it moved out of sight, traveled at approximately 600 to 800 miles per hour, and made several right-angle turns without any apparent loss of speed. The sighting lasted about fourteen minutes, starting around 1100 hours (11:00 a.m.). No sound was heard, despite the fact that a large machine was operating nearby at the time. The witnesses noted that the object had a distinct aluminum hue.

The Air Force investigation considered several possible explanations. Military aircraft in the area at the time of the sighting included B-29s and B-50s, but these were eliminated as possibilities because they were heading south seven minutes after the object was spotted. However, an observation plane from Camp Carson was in the vicinity during the sighting and was flying west, the same direction as the object. The Air Force noted that the apparent shape change, which happened only once, could have resulted from sunlight reflecting off the aircraft. Weather conditions at the time were CAVU, meaning clear skies and unrestricted visibility.

The Air Force concluded the sighting was possibly caused by the Camp Carson observation plane, based largely on the coincidence of timing and heading. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, comprising 43 pages.