Fargo, North DakotaMay 1955

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 14, 1955, residents of Fargo, North Dakota, watched a colorful object moving erratically across the evening sky. The object displayed blue, orange, green, and other color shades as it flew in unpredictable patterns above the area.

The Air Force investigated the sighting as part of Project Blue Book. According to the case file, the investigation determined that the object was likely a helicopter that had taken off from Fargo and was flying over the sighting location at the time of the report. The helicopter was equipped with a revolving beacon, which would explain the colored lights the witnesses observed. The irregular flight path described by observers matched the erratic maneuvering that such an aircraft is capable of performing.

The Air Force concluded the incident was probably an aircraft, based on the available evidence and the timing of a known helicopter operation in the area.

The full case file, 11 pages as held by the National Archives on microfilm T1206, Roll 23, is reproduced below.

Reported location

Fargo, North Dakota

Date of incident

May 1955

State / country

ND / US

Page count

11 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 23

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 11

View transcribed text

. \ ’ :
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
oe a ES ——— BRI
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
0 Was Balloon
14 May 19569 Fargo, North Dakota O Probably Bolloon
=O Possibly Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
: 0 Wos Ai :
ERE A AL RA I AE XIX Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar BX Probably Airerofe
GMT 14/08307 0 Air-Vi sual 0 Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS é. SOURCE O Wos Astronomical
O Yes 0 Probably Astronomical
KN Civilian in D Possibly Astronomicol
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE HE CL) ORR ER Cr eT
0 Insufficient Dota for Evaluation
: 0 Unknown
7 to 15 minutes one BEER EN hii bd
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
One blue, orange reen, " and other Sighting was investigated b
’ 5 ’ . ’ . * [3 = y
shades" colored object flew an erratic Flight 2 A with the following
flight path over the observers. conclusions: A heliaplane
took off from Fargo and flew
over the place of sighting at
the time of the sighting. The
heliaplane was equpped with
a revolving beacon and was
capable of the erratic course
seen by the observers,
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

/ 11

Use ← → keys to navigate · scans hosted by the U.S. National Archives

Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28962002