SE Childers, TexasFebruary 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 15, 1962, a military pilot reported an object southeast of Childress, Texas. The sighting was made at about 0015 GMT and lasted about 5 to 10 seconds. The pilot was flying at about 35,000 feet.

The object was a descending light, first seen 35 to 40 degrees above the horizon. After about 5 seconds it began to give off sparks and leave a tail. It then broke into two pieces and disappeared.

The Air Force record card lists this case as astronomical, a meteor. The card states the description fits a meteor that enters the atmosphere and breaks up, a type called a bolide.

Reported location

SE Childers, Texas

Date of incident

February 1962

State / country

TX / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

1 : ig ~
E
1 gm] PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
| 1 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS |
3 DO Was Ball |
j 15 Feb 62 SE Childers, Texas e Probably Balloon
f 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION ela fe os |
J lEoaals anit Es 0 Ground-Visual 0 Ground-Radar a Probably Alreraft
3 GMT 16/0 152 B Air Visual DO Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft |
4 5. PHOTOS - SOURCE B Was Astronomical Meteor
0 Yes O Probably Astronomical
1 XNo ; Military O Possibly Astronomical
4 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BE I aiid inn
3 { O Insufficient Data for Evaluation
1 10 sec | one | descending O Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS ;
1 Military pilot observed light descending from |Description fits that of a meteor which
j elevation of 35-40° above horizon. Pilot a/c enters atmosphere and breaks up. This
E at 35,000 ft. Object viewed for 5 sec at which [type of meteor is called a "bolide." Case
1 time it began to give off sparks and leave a evaluated as such.
| tail. It then broke into 2 pieces and dis-
: |appeared. Report received by phone to SDO.
3 : ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2)
i -

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996264