Dayton, OhioOctober 1959

On October 20, 1959, two separate sightings of unusual lights were reported in Dayton, Ohio. Both witnesses filed detailed observation forms with the U.S. Air Force, and the case was assigned for investigation.

The first sighting occurred around 9:52 p.m., when a witness observed a red light in the east-northeast sky that disappeared at the horizon to the north-northeast. Less than a minute later, either the same light or another one reappeared on the horizon to the east-northeast and then vanished about 20 degrees above the eastern horizon. The observation lasted roughly 30 seconds. The witness circled "unknown" when asked for their opinion on what caused the sighting.

A second sighting was reported near the same time. This witness saw a yellowish or blue-white light with a bright white glow that came from the southeast horizon, passed overhead, circled, and returned to the southeast. Less than a minute afterward, either the same light or another one came from the southeast again, passed slightly north of the observer, turned, and went back to the southeast. This observation lasted approximately 15 minutes. The witness estimated the object's speed at about 300 miles per hour and reported clear skies with no wind.

The Air Force's official evaluation, recorded on the case card, was that the sightings were "probably a/c" (probably aircraft). No further analysis appears in the available file pages.

The full case file, consisting of 17 pages of declassified Air Force records, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.