Westfield, MassachusettsMay 1962

On the evening of May 26, 1962, near Westfield, Massachusetts, four young people driving along Route 25 watched a bright red object descend slowly across the sky. The object was roughly circular but slightly oval in shape, about the size of a half dollar held at arm's length. Its center appeared lighter, described as yellowish or white, and one witness said sparks were coming from its top and bottom. The object began at an elevation of 30 to 45 degrees above the horizon and slowly descended until it dropped behind trees at roughly 10 degrees elevation. The car traveled slowly for about two miles while the witnesses kept the object in view, then backtracked to watch it sink lower until terrain and vegetation blocked their sight entirely.

All four witnesses interviewed by Air Force investigators agreed closely on what they saw, lending credibility to their accounts. Two of the younger witnesses admitted being frightened by the sighting. The interrogator who visited the location confirmed that the terrain and directions matched the witnesses' descriptions well. The night was clear with excellent visibility and open windows in the car, so windshield reflections could be ruled out. The group had been returning from a school event, and their ages made alcohol unlikely to be a factor in their perception. Investigators noted that a documentary film about UFOs had aired on local television the week before, which might have suggested an idea, though it was not confirmed whether these particular witnesses had seen it.

The Air Force file suggested two possible explanations for the sighting: a hot air balloon, indicated by the slow descent and sparks, or possibly a balloon of some kind. However, the file concluded there was not enough information for a valid conclusion. On the official evaluation form, the Air Force marked the case as unidentified, noting insufficient data to determine what the object actually was.

The full case file, consisting of 34 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.