Nr Albuquerque, New MexicoJune 1963

A mechanic in Albuquerque captured photographs of a flying object on June 16, 1963, claiming it was an extraterrestrial spacecraft. Air Force photo analysts, however, determined the images were a hoax.

Paul Villa said he encountered a landed disk-shaped craft about 70 feet in diameter during a meeting he said was arranged telepathically by space visitors. He took seven photographs using a Japanese-made camera loaded with Kodacolor film, framing the object among trees in the foreground.

The Air Force photo analysis lab applied technical examination to the images. Analysts noted that in one photograph, a leafless branch passed visibly behind the object, with two twigs from that branch appearing in clear alignment on the opposite side. This positioning indicated the object was much closer to the camera than the distant trees. Measurements based on the branch and the object's relationship to it showed the craft was only about 20 inches in diameter and 7 inches high. The analysis also observed that if humanoid pilots had flown such a small craft, they would have had to be less than 7 inches tall.

Photo analysts noted additional issues. All seven photographs showed unobstructed views of the object against the sky, which they deemed unlikely for someone photographing a real UFO from multiple angles. The images appeared sharper than nearby trees in some shots, suggesting the object was positioned between the photographer and the foreground landscape.

The alleged sighting had never been officially reported to the Air Force. Villa claimed to have had multiple encounters with space people over the years, and later gave accounts of events accompanied by claims of telepathic communication and warnings from extraterrestrial visitors.

The Air Force concluded the photographs were a hoax, likely created for financial gain. Major officials forwarded the evaluation to the public information office, treating the case as a deliberate deception rather than a genuine sighting.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 34 pages of declassified Project Blue Book records on this case near Albuquerque, New Mexico from June 1963.