Spokane, WashingtonMarch 1956

Insufficient Data

Summary

In March 1956, a pilot flying near Spokane, Washington spotted an unusual blip on his radar scope. The blip moved rapidly upward across the scope and then faded away. Two other aircraft in the pilot's flight also detected the same radar contact in a similar location.

The radar operators tracked the object as it covered about one mile in 38 to 45 seconds. A controller at the 760th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron reported experiencing a normal radar fade, suggesting the blip may have simply disappeared from the radar's range rather than vanishing physically. The pilot thought that if the object were another aircraft, it would have been an F-86D fighter jet, based on its speed. However, ground radar and the other aircraft's radar systems indicated the contact was a probable radar target rather than a confirmed aircraft.

The sighting lasted between 30 and 45 seconds. No photographs were taken. The Air Force's evaluation of the case is listed as "unknown" in the file.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 14 pages of microfilm (T1206, Roll 24).

Reported location

Spokane, Washington

Date of incident

March 1956

State / country

WA / US

Page count

14 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 24

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 14

View transcribed text

gE

] PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

ki it i en en

3 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS

] j : 0 Was Balloon

3 3 March 1956 Spokane, Washington 0 Probably Balloon

3 mr ee ITE EE RE Ee eT eT 18 Possibly: Balloon |
3 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION

128 cal reat ede cE 0 Ground-Visual 2X Ground-Radar CX Xp rabably. Alveraft
9 GMT 04/ 00407 : 0 AirVisual XX Air-Intercapt Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft

: 5, PHOTOS eESRURGRS I mits oe ane Elg Was Agirenoml cal

4 O Yes ] Grosotly gatronomical

RE . . 0 i i

1 23Ne Militar Possibly Astronomico

1 "7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BrrOepE ant ae uo

: 0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation

: 0 0 Unknown -
: v0-45 seqgonds one unknown ; j

4 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING : 11. COMMENTS i :

: Blip on radar scope, blip moved up Rilot thought if object other

3 the: scope mapidly and faded - 2 other | a/c would be F-B0 series fighter

2 a/c had contact in similar position, due to speed. Ground radar and

E other a/c radar indicated a/c

i as probable target,

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 28 BEP 32)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28965031