Kirksville, MissouriSeptember 1960

Unidentified

Summary

On September 28, 1960, military radar operators near Kirksville, Missouri, reported a radar target at 0816 (about 2:16 a.m. local). A normal aircraft type return appeared on ground radar at 70,000 feet, then rapidly gained altitude to 100,000 feet and went off the top of the scope after about 45 seconds. Two operators, both considered reliable, tracked it. The object was not heard. The weather was clear. After the target disappeared, scattered weather echoes began to appear on the scope. An Air Force analysis concluded the sighting could have been caused by warm moist air mixing with cold dry air. Three sightings came from the same radar station on the same equipment, and no other stations confirmed the targets. The Air Force listed the case as possible weather.

Reported location

Kirksville, Missouri

Date of incident

September 1960

State / country

MO / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 40

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

MILITARY RADAR ek PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
 oATE © Ih Goan | conclusions |
28 Sep 60 Kirksville, Missouri QO Probably Balloon
S DATETIMEOROUS ~~ [4 TYPROF ORSERVATION +» | | wby Deleon
1 RS RT Pe ed Ket ov O Ground- Visual X Ground-Rodar 8 Probably Aircrafy
GMT 28 08162 0 Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Rador O Possibly Aircreft
5. PHOTOS . SOURCE 0 Wos Astronomical
0 Probobly Astr ical
M hoy | Military . |O Possibly Astrenemieet
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE tf Other POSS weather
0 Insufficient Dote for Evaluation
L5 sec one ascending D Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS os ae
Normal a/c return painted on ground radar at There is the possibility that this
70,000 ft repidly gaining altitude to 100,000 sighting could have been caused by
ft, went off scope after 45 sec. warm moist air mixing with cold dry
air. Three sightings were reported
from the same radar station and were
noted on the same equipment. No reports
from other stations in the area were
received which might have confirmed or
denied the explanation that weather
conditions probably caused this radar
effect.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
. py : : LN

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28989400