Stuttgart, Germany, January 1953January 1953

On the night of January 23, 1953, two U.S. Air Force pilots flying a C-47 transport aircraft over Stuttgart, Germany reported seeing a bright white object with a green edge. The pilots were Lt. Col. Max O. Mitchell and Major David V. Pearsall, both experienced fliers with the Air Technical Intelligence Branch. Both men held the rank of pilot and had been on flying status for several years. The Air Force considered them exceptionally reliable witnesses.

The object first caught their attention when it passed in front of their aircraft at about 8 to 10 miles distance, roughly 15 degrees above the horizon, moving from left to right. The pilots said it traveled at an extremely high rate of speed. Within seconds, the object turned north with what Mitchell described as "very high acceleration," then turned again and climbed slightly until it was directly ahead of them, where it seemed to linger. It then performed several violent maneuvers, moving from just above the horizon to about 15 degrees above, before disappearing to the north at very high speed. The entire sighting lasted approximately one and a half minutes.

Weather conditions that night were clear with unlimited visibility. The pilots reported the sighting to Frankfurt Airways and Cornbeak Air Traffic Control. A follow-up investigation confirmed that no jet aircraft were operating near Rhein Main Air Base at the time, though other C-47 cargo planes were in the vicinity.

The Air Force evaluated the objects as probably astronomical bodies, specifically suggesting Venus and the star Deneb. The file notes that the object's maneuvers were similar to those of Venus and concludes the objects were likely astronomical in nature. An extract of the case was sent to Dr. J. Allen Hynek for his comments.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, totaling 28 pages.