Kettering, OhioMay 1961

Unidentified

Summary

On May 13, 1961, at about 0100 (1:00 a.m.), a military observer in Kettering, Ohio, reported a bright object in the sky. The report was filed on the Project 10073 record card, the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports.

The witness said the object appeared as a green flare, brighter than the brightest stars. The color changed from green to orange. It was seen toward the south, about 10 degrees up, and moved toward the earth. The sighting lasted about 3 seconds. The night sky was clear and dark with no moonlight.

The Air Force concluded the object had all the characteristics of a meteor or fireball. The card said the available evidence indicated the object was the entry of one of these meteors into the earth's atmosphere, and that the colors reported matched meteors of this type.

Reported location

Kettering, Ohio

Date of incident

May 1961

State / country

OH / US

Page count

10 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 42

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 10

View transcribed text

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i |
= * PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD :
L 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12 CONCLUSIONS |
i
1 al : 0 Wos Balloon
13 [ Mey 61 Kettering, Ohio D Probably Balloon
i 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION TORT Tne
0100 : 0 Was Aircraft
| J spearleicoseomaie 5Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar a Probobiy Aircraft
: CMT __ 06 00Z O Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS . SOURCE D Was Astronomical ETE 04
3 O Yes O Probably Astronomical
i B Ne Military 8 Possibly Astronomical
g 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BO
E: . OD Insufficient Data for Evaluation
0 Unknown |
3 sec 1 W
: 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Appeared as a green flardl COMMENTS(b jt reported has all char-
3 Brighter than brightest’ stars. Color changed cteristics of a meteor of thie fireball
; fm green to orange. Appeared in S, 10° toward |class. All available evidence indicates
 # »
- ips toward earth. First appeared 180° that this objt was entry of cone of thes
true N. 20 fm horizon. Disappeared 190 spectacular meteors into earth's atnmos-
; nm true N, 9° fm horizon. phere. Colors reported by witness are
: those normally associated with meteors
: of this type.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
. \

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28992418