Santa Cruz, Bolivia, August 1962August 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On August 6, 1962, at about 2025 (8:25 p.m.) local time, an observer saw a brilliant falling object due west of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The witness was a United States civilian oil company employee. The object was in sight for about 5 seconds.

The object was either falling or flying across the sky in an arc that descended toward the western horizon. It was extremely bright, almost as bright as the midday sun, but smaller. It did not light up nearby buildings. Several glowing particles trailed behind it at regular intervals. As each trailing piece burned out, another would drop off the main body. The object grew brighter as it disappeared and then vanished instantly. The weather was clear with some smoke and haze and a light northwest wind.

The report reached the Air Force through the air attache in Bolivia and was filed under Project 10073, the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports. The Air Force said the object was probably a bolide and evaluated the case as a meteor sighting.

Reported location

Santa Cruz, Bolivia, August 1962

Date of incident

August 1962

State / country

? / XX

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 46

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

A]
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
SA ST EE a Ee a GE SS i BASS I © tan SO A SAA YA SAAB SO + SO AE SP EE SPAS PT SE Se SA Rs
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. COMCLUSIONS
1 Was Bolloon
LB Anaornas 1GR89 : Qeamtn (M1119 Redd vin 00 Probably Balluon
ee em eee ee ee ——————————eee 1 ossinly Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION [5 CRRqUaY DION
EVO i 0 Was Aircraft
EAR 0 . Q und-Radae p
LO EO so RRA iin insiiobisismiinisicisomsioniainis + 0 Ground-Visual Gro Rada 1 Probably Aircraft
CMT O07 700257 0 Air Visual 1 Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS | 8. SOURCE I Was Astronomical YX
GC Yes ! 0 Probably Astronomical
+ No : Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION { 3. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BT i iad aii
i 0 Insufficiant Data for Evaluation
5 ; gis ia hd 0 Unknown
D Sees one praaxving vest
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS }
5 . . . P - . apes “ : i“ o i rag DRl 1 E Maal rds Fa | re on ax? 1a y pa. |
Dbl in sight Tor 5 secs, Briliiant & Probably a bolide, Case evaluat:
¥ was either Ialling or flying thru as Meteor sighting sin e al 1 inflo
sky. Arc descending toward the West- $4 accord with this analysis.-
ern horizon, Extreme brilliance altho
no 1llunination of the surrounding
baoildings, Several particles trailing
at regular intervals, As each trail-
ing obj extinguished another would
drop oif main body. Disappearance
accompanied by increase in brightness ;
& disappeared instantaneously. ;
ATIC FORM 329 (RZV 26 SEP 52) :
y, 3
i i ) : SED SE fini yh Ghd jie ail ’
A x Ae NOR a ie
ga A ;
i)
AH
yer |
fy d N
/ |
leg
kl

/ 3

Use ← → keys to navigate · scans hosted by the U.S. National Archives

Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28998511