Hall Lake, N.W.T., Canada, February 1959February 1959

On February 20, 1959, at 1345Z (approximately 1:45 p.m.), multiple observers at remote DEW Line stations (a chain of radar sites stretching across the Arctic) in the Northwest Territories of Canada witnessed a bright object in the sky. The stations were located at Hall Lake, West Melville, and Rowley. The observers included radio equipment operators, supply specialists, supervisors, and other personnel employed by Federal Electric Corporation. All were rated as reliable witnesses.

The object appeared as a very bright white flash roughly forty degrees above the horizon, coming from an area twenty to sixty miles north of the observers. It resembled a magnesium flare and was roughly the size of a baseball held at arm's length. The object then moved in a downward arc from north to south. After about ten seconds, it increased noticeably in brightness and completely disappeared when it reached about fifteen degrees above the horizon. A second flash accompanied the disappearance. A whitish vapor trail remained visible for five to fifteen minutes. This trail was thinner and less dense than a typical jet aircraft contrail, though it initially formed a solid line before breaking into three sections and slowly fading away.

Several additional observers at Hall Lake and West Melville saw the phenomenon shortly after the initial flash but missed the first bright flash itself. Their accounts closely matched the earlier reports, with only minor variations in distance and altitude estimates. The Canadian military commander overseeing the DEW Line station noted the remarkable consistency across all witnesses despite their wide separation.

The Air Force message states that the intense white color, apparent velocity, the resulting vapor trail, the downward flight path, and the complete absence of sound or vibration suggested the object was likely a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere. However, the message also notes that a missile re-entry was possible. No final determination is recorded in the file, which remains classified as unknown. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, consisting of 8 pages.