Lowry, AFB, Colo., March 1959March 1959

Insufficient Data

Summary

On March 2, 1959, at 0030 hours (12:30 a.m.), an unidentified object was observed on the weather radar scope at Lowry Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The sighting prompted several reports and an investigation.

The initial report came through the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. According to the documentation, personnel at the base detected an object on their radar equipment and filed a report about the sighting. The Air Force initially requested that observers fill out detailed data sheets so the incident could be properly documented and analyzed.

However, the investigation was brief. A few days later, the Air Force determined that the object was not actually unknown. The weather radar equipment at Lowry Air Force Base had malfunctioned. The radar malfunction caused an echo to appear on the scope in a way that initially seemed like a radar return from an unidentified object. Once Air Force officials understood the cause, they issued instructions that all reports should reflect this finding and that further investigation be terminated.

The full case file, consisting of 8 pages, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.

Reported location

Lowry, AFB, Colo., March 1959

Date of incident

March 1959

State / country

? / XX

Page count

8 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 35

B02 TAME OL TORII ts. Ssh ANNE Te 0 1 #3 I Le | i i ! PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD ; 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS 0 Was Balloon 2 May HC Lovry AFB, Colo. a Probably Balloon 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Possibly Balloon | Bar O Was Aircraft | teed ooo 0 Ground-Vi suel AX Ground-Roder QO Probably Aircraft fee R aR als Whoa 's ANSE 0 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Rader |0 Possibly Aircraft | 5. PHOTOS 8. SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical O Yes ~ Soe + 4 Astronomical pp VOR I | pepe ibly Ast icol 2:0-Ne Militar: Quid ay 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 0: Othee i tp UICLION 0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation : : ; 0 Unknown onz hr not given not jiven 0. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS Unidentified obJjs cbcerved on Lowey AB Objs proved to be nzlfunction of weather radar scope. lo direction or spead equipment which ciused echo to appear oosexrved, as radar return, ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2) ’