Tehchapi, CaliforniaOctober 1956

Unidentified

Summary

On October 17, 1956, a civilian near Tehachapi, California reported one red, egg-shaped object about the size of a dime held at arm's length. The object was first seen directly overhead at about 1,000 feet altitude. It moved to the west while ascending and descending and was watched for about twenty-two minutes.

The Air Force said the object was moving too fast to be an astronomical body. It noted the bobbing motion, the slow descent, and variable winds. The Air Force concluded the sighting was probably caused by a balloon.

Reported location

Tehchapi, California

Date of incident

October 1956

State / country

CA / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 26

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

i : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD | 3
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
p 0 Wes Balloon
17 October 1956 Tehchapi, C2 1iforniln Q< Probably Bolloon
17 October 1956 1 SZEStioolavation O Possibly Bolloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
4 . ¥ 0 Wos Aircraft
GMT 17/10207 DO Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Rador D Possibly Aircrot
5. PHOTOS é. SOURCE 11 Was Astronomical
O Yes © Probably Astronomicol
“0 Neo civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical ;
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9 COURSE Oo Othe
Westerly & DO Insufficient Dato for Evaluation
.  oedotely y - 0 Unknown
twenty two minutes one descending
| gwenty two minutes | owe _Loglws
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
One red ogg-shapad object, size of dimg Object viewed oberhend and moving
at arm's length. Ohject was initially west too fast for astro hoody.
sighted directly overhead at 1000 fact | Bobbing motion, slow descent, var-
altitude. Object was moving to the West iable winds, and duration indicetle
and ascending and descending(out of signt). that sighting was probably
Object wap viewed visually for 22 minus. caused by a Lalloon,
ATIC FORM 329 (REY 25% SEP 52)
v
Clb 2 a iin > ot it bo iid EC Sc EN ofp Sl ARE 3 Salar on yah NTE EAR EN TEE Ee RR, Co sind CLR AY EVA

/ 3

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

Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28967946