North Andover, MassachusettsMarch 1963

Insufficient Data

Summary

On March 17, 1963, a 14-year-old in North Andover, Massachusetts reported seeing three bright objects in the sky during the afternoon. The witness said the objects were traveling in an east-north-easterly direction, circling each other and passing one another. He watched for about one and a half minutes before they disappeared suddenly. The witness estimated the objects were at a height of three miles and traveling at about 1,000 miles per hour.

The witness sent a letter describing the sighting to the Air Force. In his initial report, he described the objects as circling each other but provided inconsistent details when an official questionnaire was sent for more information. The date shifted from March 31 to March 17, the time changed from approximately 1:45 p.m. to 2:38 p.m. (timed with a watch), and the witness revised his account to say he saw only two objects rather than three. The speed estimate was also changed to subsonic (slower than the speed of sound).

Air Force officials noted significant inconsistencies in the teenager's account and concluded the report was unreliable. However, an internal comment in the file suggests the Air Force may have been too quick to dismiss it, noting that while the report did not inspire confidence, a more appropriate classification might have been "insufficient information for evaluation" rather than outright unreliability. No further investigation appears to have been conducted.

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

Reported location

North Andover, Massachusetts

Date of incident

March 1963

State / country

MA / US

Page count

12 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 12

View transcribed text

|
i
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
SR EE TR SR BER al LE CE es Ea TA AR EE Re SA RI Rn mi Tr, fs SPS
i. DATE 2. LOCATION | 12 CONCLUSIONS
0 Wos Balloon
_17(31) (?) March 1963 North Andover, Massachusetts|D Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ossibly Balloon I
34 5PM 238PM EO 2 0 Was Aircraft
local SD 2h Iii oer IO LN (XBround- Visual 0 Ground-Radar O Probably Aircraft {
hr Se ee i TAN | 0 Air-Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aircraft
| 5. PHOTOS | 8. SOURCE DO Was Astronomical
: GC Yes O Probobly Astronomical
io ivilian 0 Possibly Astranomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE Bx Otherlinrelianble Rpt
. : { O Insufficient Data for Evaluation
¥ : AT ; J i ; 0 Unknown
EEL ne cl ne 0B 0 al NE es
ho. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
| fetter received indicating that threg Inconsistancies indicate that
his were observed on Sunday 31 Mar at the report from this 14 yr old
I. 1540, Objs circling each other and witness. €annot he evaluated,
| passing each other. Observed for about Unreliable report,
. | a minute and then they vanished.
! Height estimated at 3 miles and speed
{ 1,000 mph, Form sent for additional data
sie and date became March 17, time 1438, |
| Duvation now 1 minute 30 seconds and only ;
| two objects observed, Time became certain
and timed with watch. Speed changed to
subsonic hs Li Sl id]
ATIC FORM 329% (REV 26 SEP 52)
E
:
UE EE

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 29000416