Poughkeepsie, New YorkOctober 1955

On October 2, 1955, Captain E. N. Wood was piloting a Colonial Airlines DC-3 aircraft about five miles west-northwest of Poughkeepsie, New York, when he spotted an unusual object. The sighting occurred at dusk, when visibility and ceiling conditions were unlimited. Captain Wood observed a bright blue-white light that resembled a meteor as it passed on the port side (left side) of his aircraft.

The object hovered near the aircraft for approximately 10 to 15 seconds before departing on a southeasterly heading at what Wood described as an extremely high rate of speed. As it disappeared from view, the object appeared to gain altitude. The entire sighting lasted roughly 15 seconds. The Air Force record notes that the object's course paralleled the flight path of the DC-3 for about 10 seconds before it changed direction to the southeast.

In his formal written account, Captain Wood noted that the object's brightness and rapid movement resembled a shooting star, though its behavior, hovering near the aircraft and then accelerating away, was unusual. Captain Wood reported the sighting to military officials upon his arrival, following CIRVIS procedures (a protocol for reporting vital intelligence sightings).

The Air Force's final assessment, recorded on the case file cover sheet, was that the phenomenon was probably astronomical in nature, most likely a meteor. The file contains 17 pages as held by the National Archives.