Spragueville, MaineAugust 1956

Insufficient Data

Summary

On August 17, 1956, a military aircrew south-southwest of Spragueville, Maine, reported a radar contact. The sighting was recorded at 1550Z and was tracked for about three minutes.

The object appeared on the airborne radar scope as two aircraft or one large aircraft. The crew of an F-89 first picked it up at about twelve miles. The intercept aircraft lost radar contact at 4,000 yards. At that point the pilot and radar observer felt they should have been able to see the object, but they never saw it visually despite looking, in clear daylight. The radar observer estimated the object was moving at over 500 knots, which the report said ruled out a weather balloon.

A later Air Force analysis said the return was as large as two aircraft at twelve miles yet was not seen at 4,000 yards in good daylight. This pointed to either equipment malfunction or some other source rather than a solid target. The pilot's scope and the radar operator's scope showed different conditions, which also suggested a possible malfunction of the intercept radar. One review tentatively placed the case as unknown, but the final analysis leaned toward equipment malfunction.

Reported location

Spragueville, Maine

Date of incident

August 1956

State / country

ME / US

Page count

6 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 26

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 6

View transcribed text

| ie PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE | 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS s
17 August 1956 Spraguevi lle, Maine g Pecbobly Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP % TYPE OF OBSERVATION WD Foohmy Sem
FR —— DO Ground- Visual O Ground-Rodar 0 Probobly Aircraft
emt _17/ 15507 O Air Visvol XOX Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
S. PHOTOS OU 0 Was Astronomical
O Yes O Probably Astronomicel
| x18 No : O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE CJ RI —
a ona Date for Evaluation
’ no
three minutes see below CRAs ASR SEE Da Rea
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
This sighting, as noted above, was A limited investigation was
picked up on airborne radar, Object assigned to Flt 3-G, 4602d AISS
appeared on radar scope as two air-- on 20 Aug 56, Results of the
craft or one large aircraft, Intercept investigation indicate that the
aircraft lost radar contact with objedtsighting was probably caused by
at 4000 yards, At this time pilot and | an aircraft. A copy of the
radar observer felt they should have | Disposition form from OIC, Flt
been able to see object visually, 3-G is forwarded for your infor-
Radar observer estimated that object mation,
was moving at over 500K, Object was
tracked for three minutes, J
No Report In File
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2)
p

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28967017