PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE P LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
ver 0 Wes Bolloon
_16 April 1956 wae Fairfield, Utah EA OD Probably Bolloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION —|Q Possibly Balloon
R O Was Aircroft
EC Sa SS oF cae =i Oo Ground-Vi sual 0 Ground Rador o Probobly Aircroft
_GMT_17/0250Z | Air Visvol =O Air-Intercept Radar |% Possibly Aircroft
5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE icy Was Astronomical Venus
0 Yes : O Probably Astronomical
B®Mo Military AF Pilot }o Possibly Astronomicol
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 6. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE ther—
3 previnelont Dota for Evaluation
approx 25 minutes _ one ? erratic es
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS

One object, no discernible outline or

features, about the size of a base-

Copy of preliminary rpt attached,
Due to the duration of the sight-

ball held at arm's length, Changed coying, the position of the UFOB as

lors fm blue to white periodically.

First appeared to be, & identified as

a blinking light. The object appeared
to be at 40,000 feet on an azimuth of

*290 dgrs. Obj appeared to have an
erratic course in the West.

*ATIC Comment: Star Almanac & Ephemen

cisely in position rptd, Files indic
when viewed at high altitude, throug
or dance erratically. Generally due

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) 2/C ON 1US axes,

compared w/the position of *Venus
at the time of the sighting, the
colors of the obj & the circum-
stances of the sighting; the obj
in question was probably the
planet Venus,

is plot indicate Venus almost pre
te fixed bright celestial body
O7G Wangnoeot os APP ote to move
os

tht “"yawing"' movement of

ERADQUARTERS
2849th AIR BASE WING
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTa8

SUBJECTs Unidentified Flying Object Sighting

TOs Commander
Airy Defense Comsaand
Ent Air Force Base
Colorado Springs, Colorado

The inclosed report of an unidentified flying object is
herewith forwarded in accordance with the provisions of Air Force
Regulation 200-2.

1 Incl WILLIS JT, HALL
Statement (Capt Petit) Lt Coloael, USAF
Commander

ae

—— wee eee ewe
.

~~

STATEMENT
17 April 1956

I» Thomas P. Petit, Captain, USAFR, A0-770390, co hereby make the
following statement of the sighting of an wiidentified flying object. I
have been a rated flying officer since March 194 and have approximately
1300 total flying hours; 230 are in jet aircraft. I am presently assigned
to the 313th Fighter Bomber Squadron (Zeserve) ab Hill Airy iorce Base in
the capacity of Operations Officer.

On 16 April 1956 at approximately 1950 MST while on an TR, 1,000
feet on top night flight from Kirtland Air force Sase to Hill Air Force
Base at 37,000 feat, I sighted an unidentified flying objecte My position
ab the first sighting was inbound to Fairfield, Utah on a heading of 2970
decrees direct from Kirtland AFB, J had the object in sight for approm
jwately 25 mimites, The od ject was identified aa daing unknown after
tuming off the cockpit lichts and eliminating the possibility of interior
lighting being reflected from the canopy, moving my bead around the cockpit
and checking my gun sight awitch in the OFF positions Im addition, ths
objeet increased in size and 2 change of color became more distinct as I
Grew closer; and the peresption of the object's distinct movements becam
apparent. The color chanved from very thite to very blu rapidly but nob
in any standard semencs, The object was originally closely ooserved for
the possibility of it being another aircraft, After discerning that the
object was nob traveling either right or left and being in the 12 o'clock
position te my Line of flight, 14 was observed more closaly for the
nmessibility of a collision course, While inbound to Fairfield, the object
continued to grow in size and the sharpness of the color change increased,
The flight pattern of the object was very rapid ~ horizontal and vertical
within a small area with no set pattern. It did not move from the sams
general. area of the airy, After arriving over Fairfield, Utah, I reported
the sighting to Selt Lake ARTO and did mt pursue the object any further,
since I was on an ifR clearance. . :

REPORT FOREMAT AFR 200-2

1. Since it was night flight, no discernible outline of the object
coulda be established. The size wuld be estimated to be about the sise of
a baseball, ‘The color changed from brilliant bine to a brilliant white
periodically. There was only orm object. Thars vere no discernible
foaturea, oxhans> trails or otber identifiable fsatures exoept the changing
Lich+s and *he sirance sowments,

2. The object was first roted as being a blinking licht and identifiad
eroneously as being another alrcraft. The clavation would be estimated ta
be approximtely 10,000 feet on a heading of 290 degrees from Fairfield, Utah
ond approximately over Wendver, Utah, The flizht pattern was from left to

right, borismtally then vertically with no regular pattern, The speed
would be estimated to be very rapid and certainly one which no aircraft
to my lmowledge could accomolish. The object did m% disappear until I
penetrated the overcast into Salt Lake City Radio, The object was in ny

sight for approximtely 25 mimtes,

3. The mamer of observation was air to air. I was flying T-33A,

Serial Mr 53-5097 at 37,900 feet on a heading of 290 degrees at an indicated
air speed of 230 Ke. Eoms station ig Hill AFB,

le ‘The sighting occurred on 16 April 1956 between the hours of 1950
to 2015 MST. The lizht conditions were excellent for night. I was 1,000
feet on top and the stars and partial moon were very brilliant. It was
however night and distances are very hard to accurately establish,

5. ‘The observer was inbound to Fairfield, Utah from Kirtland AFB on ,
a heading of 299 degrees and the object was first sighted 20 mimtes out
of Fairfield (approximtely 120 nautical miles) and was kept in sight until
crossing Fairfield and turning to a heading of 343 degrees inbound to Salt =
Lake City and the penetration started,

6. Thomas P. Petit, Captain, USAFRes, 313th Fighter Bomber Squadron
(Reserve), Operations Ofiicers; Pilot, 12 years = 235 jet hours.

7e Weather reported by Wendover Air Force Base on a teletype at 1930
Hours, MSPs 7,000 broken, 20,000 broken, 20 miles visibility. Winds North
Northeasb at 10 Xs Rain showers, mknowm intensity to the West Southwest,
2030 Hours MBTs 7,000 broken, 20,000 broken, visibility 15 X, very Light
rain showers, Rain showers began at 2020 Hours, wind, West Northwest at |
1L X- Winds 6,000 fset, 20 degrees, 10K. Winds 10,000 feet, 350 degrees
at 5 ¥,. Winds 16,000 feat, 260 degrees at 15 Xe Winds 20,000 fect, 260 a
decrees at 15 KX, Winds 30,000 feet, 260 degrees ab 25 KX. Winds 5,000 faet,,

270 degrees at 30 K.

Observer’ zecount of weather conditionss, Visibility umlimited;
polid cloud layer, approximately 30,000, 5,000 feet thick over the area
involved. Salt Lake weather broken, Pilot wmt VFR 23 approxinately
24,000 feet after penstrations

8. Hone know.

9. Nom
10, Unknowns but object could not have been another aircraft.
Lie Unknown.

12. Tnknown.

@ 4 us by
Sememee pad Sacer,"
ra e ¥s

Gaptain, USAFR
D3th Fighter Somer Squacron