Project Blue Book Case File
Dayton, OhioJune 1958
Summary
On the night of June 7, 1958, an observer in Dayton, Ohio saw a small, reddish object in the sky that looked similar to a star. The sighting occurred around 11:32 p.m. local time. The object appeared to be about the size of a pinhead when held at arm's length.
The witness watched the object for approximately 15 minutes. It was positioned at roughly 58 degrees from north and between 25 and 35 degrees above the horizon as it moved. The observer reported the object traveling in a generally westward direction before it disappeared from view.
The Air Force investigator who reviewed this case concluded that the observer probably saw a jet aircraft with its afterburner operating. An afterburner is a special combustor in a jet engine that increases thrust and creates a distinctive bright flame. This explanation would account for the reddish color and the star-like appearance the witness described. The file lists the case as unknown in its official evaluation, though the investigator's summary suggests a conventional aircraft as the likely source.
The full case file, comprising 12 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.
Reported location
Dayton, Ohio
Date of incident
June 1958
State / country
OH / US
Page count
12 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unknown
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 33