Trout Run, PennsylvaniaMay 1960

On the night of May 2, 1960, a resident of Trout Run, Pennsylvania observed unusual lights in the western sky from his motel room window. The first light he noticed was flickering blue-white and appeared to move in a figure-eight pattern. Around 1 a.m., a second object joined the first. This second light was orange-yellowish-white and grew larger as it moved, eventually expanding from pea-sized to tennis-ball-sized when held at arm's length. The witness described its shape as resembling an apple with the stem pointing downward, and he noted what appeared to be two holes on its front, positioned like a cow's nostrils. The two objects maneuvered together for approximately four and a half hours, making rapid bursts of speed and sharp directional changes. There was no audible sound accompanying the display. The witness also reported that the objects appeared to release an incandescent, powdery substance that glittered like glass and vanished within seconds. He continued watching until dawn, when he lost sight of the lights in the growing daylight.

The witness submitted his initial report to the Department of State in early May 1960. The Air Force later sent him a detailed questionnaire to gather more information. In his response, the witness provided extensive sketches and technical details of the movements he observed. He also consulted with a retired Navy commander living in the area, who suggested the objects were approximately 110 miles high based on the witness's calculations using a high-tension phone wire as a reference point. The retired officer estimated the second object's speed of retreat at eight to ten miles per second.

The Air Force's official evaluation concluded that since this was a single-witness observation with no corroborating reports, there was insufficient data for a definitive conclusion. However, the evaluation noted that because the objects followed the same pattern for the entire four and a half hours, it was probable that the witness was observing light reflection from some stationary source rather than actual objects in motion.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 22 pages.