Flathead Lake, MontanaApril 1955

Insufficient Data

Summary

On April 23, 1955, a civilian pilot near Flathead Lake, Montana saw a single white object. It was about the size of a pinhead held at arm's length. It had no other clear features.

The object appeared to fly a path parallel to the pilot's aircraft. The pilot was flying a Boeing Stratocruiser at about 23,000 feet, heading roughly east. The object seemed to move about five times faster than a jet. It was seen moving from west to east. The sighting lasted about five to seven seconds.

The pilot had seen many meteors before and did not think this was one. The Air Force still judged the case as probably astronomical, likely a meteor. They noted the short viewing time. Because of the brief sighting and low chance of useful results, no follow-up was authorized.

Reported location

Flathead Lake, Montana

Date of incident

April 1955

State / country

MT / US

Page count

1 scanned page

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 23

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 1

View transcribed text

: PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
Tr DATE ——— 1 LC ORTI siiinim] BE torre ORSAY
11 DATE Gan 2 LOCATION 12, CONCLUSIONS
E | (1 Was Bolloon
-—23 April we, 3 Posat)), Balloon
J DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION Gon
| i A Sb sabi | 0 Ground-Vi sua (3 Ground-Radar a eo J
H CMT_23/00182 = Hr Visual (m] Aie-Intercapt Radar |O Possibly Aircrafy
5. PHOTOS ETE A Rr eas = 0 Was Astronomical Motoop
O Yes (m) Probably Astronomical
4 i ho NEG Sa : (QC Di : SB Possibly Astronomical
iI 3 7 LENGTH OF OBSERVATION % NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. GOURLY rah
| | : | 75 oy rier ciont Data for Evaluation
| | —_ 1lve to seven secs _One West to East
lf 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING ar Ce er en
1 One (1) white object, size of a head| Due to brevity ol sighting, 5_7 |
Eo Of pin held at arm's length, w/no Foo00US, the ‘mprobability of
4 Other discernible features was ohser further vestigation Producing
BE ved by civiliag pilot. 6b3 was seen SlE&nificant results, no follow-
Eo to flyin a parallel ;0ur3® w/the a/cl UP investigatiop authorized,
| flying ADProx east at 23,000 feet ( Although the observer did not
| (Boeing Stratocruiser), but at ga recognize the obj as astro, the
| Sheed estimated at being five times | 9escription Of this Sighting, g
. that of jet a/c, Observer had seen the fact that observey did not
4 many meteors, but gig not beligve | view obj for any periga Of time
i that thig sighting was = Toma led to opinion that Sighting
Br No Report In File, |Probably astro (Meteor),
FF ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 3
- |

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28961805