San Diego, CaliforniaMarch 1963

Unidentified

Summary

On March 11, 1963 (about 9:15 p.m. local time by Greenwich time of March 12), two Air Force officers in an aircraft near San Diego, California, reported an orange flame or light with one burst of white, like an explosion. The aircraft was at about 8,500 feet, on top of an overcast, in clear conditions. Both observers were research and development project officers rated as highly reliable.

The light appeared close to their aircraft and at about the same altitude. It came from the northwest, made a left turn from about 180 to 270 degrees, then faded from view in a rapid climb to 25,000 feet or above.

One pilot said the size, color, pattern, and intensity of the flame indicated a rocket type engine rather than a jet. The Air Force, in its Project 10073 record, concluded the sighting was a missile launch from Vandenberg.

Reported location

San Diego, California

Date of incident

March 1963

State / country

CA / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

Ea PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
mn Te EE EE
; O Was Balloon
; 11 March 1963 San Diego, California SA ALLL Dd
: 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 2 soar BY BoliBoh
Local ———ee— DO Ground- Visual O Ground-Rador oa Probably Alverafr
CMT 12/05152 XXAir~ Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
PB © BC he SOR Bn Lard FOION fro shh stb bch eA
5. PHOTOS 4. SOURCE O Was Astronomical
QO Yes O Probably Astronomical
Pdi i O Possibly Astronomical
Lt Ie ns a MRE ERARYe. ool Le en or
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE EXotherAtlas Missiles
O Insufficient Dota for Evaluation
O Unknown :
| SESE Dn Tee TEE So NS oo «LES ARI 1 LAS DN aC I RE
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Orange flame or light w/one burst of :
white as in an explosion observed by soli lruad fils taunch from
R & U personnel in a’c approaching Vandenberg.
San Diego, Light appeared in the vici-
nity of the observers a/c and at the
same altitude of 8,5000ft, Object
appeared, im_the NW made a left turn fm
128 dgr £6238 dgr & ATA 1) view in
a rapid climb at 25,000ft or above, WX
was clear, observers a/c on top of overcast,
Pilot stated that size, coloring, pattern
and intensity of flame indicated a
rocket type of engine rather than jet.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
3 L)
—

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 29000378