Salina, KansasSeptember 1960

Unidentified

Summary

On September 16, 1960, a T-33 pilot flying in the Salina, Kansas area reported a sighting at around 1 a.m. The pilot observed a flash and streak of light at one o'clock high with many colors including blue, red, green, and white. The sighting lasted 30 seconds. The pilot had flown for 20 years and had never seen anything like it. He did not think it was a falling star and suggested it might have been a meteorite or satellite reentry. The Air Force evaluated the sighting as unidentified.

Reported location

Salina, Kansas

Date of incident

September 1960

State / country

KS / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 40

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

MILITARY AIR

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE: 16 Sep 60
2. LOCATION: Salina, Kansas
12. CONCLUSIONS:
D Was Balloon
D Probably Balloon
D Possibly Balloon

3. DATE-TIME GROUP: Local___
GMT___17/0610Z
4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION:
D Ground-Visual
D Ground-Radar
D Air-Visual
D Air-Intercept Radar

5. PHOTOS:
D Yes
D No

6. SOURCE: Military

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: 30 sec

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS: one

9. COURSE: not given

D Was Aircraft
D Probably Aircraft
D Possibly Aircraft
D Was Astronomical
D Probably Astronomical
D Possibly Astronomical
D Other Satellite reentry
D Insufficient Data for Evaluation
D Unidentified
D Unknown

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING:
Sighting reported from T-33 pilot in the Salina, Kansas area. A flash and streak of light was observed with many colors, blue green, red, etc. Duration of sighting was 30 sec. Pilot had flown for 20 years, and had never seen anything like it. Not a falling star. Thought to be meteorite or satellite reentry by pilot.

11. COMMENTS:
Object responsible for this sighting was probably the reentry of 1960 Delta (Discoverer XVI), which reentered this date. Duration and multicolor indicate reentry rather than meteorite.

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 28 SEP 52)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28989107