Englewood, ColoradoSeptember 1960

On a September night in 1960, an observer in Englewood, Colorado saw a white light moving overhead in ways that seemed unlike any aircraft. The object stopped in mid-flight and changed directions radically, then disappeared to the east after appearing from the northwest. The witness's wife and brother also saw the object, which remained visible for approximately seven minutes and passed overhead at an estimated 3,000 feet.

The Air Force received the initial report and asked for follow-up information: the exact angles where the object was first and last seen, its flight path, and whether any aircraft or weather balloons in the area might explain the sighting. The airdrome officer at nearby Lowry Air Force Base checked flight records for the time of the sighting. He found that a C-47 transport plane and a T-33 trainer aircraft had been flying in the local area from Lowry. Both planes were on approach to the runway using standard procedures. The officer noted that neither plane's movements matched what the witness described, since both aircraft were following normal flight paths and neither appeared to stop or move erratically.

The file includes weather data from Lowry showing clear skies, good visibility, and scattered clouds at 6,000 feet. The lack of any radar confirmation or additional witnesses is notable. The Air Force's conclusion, based on the available evidence, was that the object was probably a balloon, though the case file indicates some uncertainty in this assessment.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 7 pages.