PROJECT BLUE BOOK

-
1' PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
Was Balloon
29 October 1962 Altadena, California 00 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Possibly Balloon
Local Ground-Visual Ground-Radar 00 Was Aircraft
Probably Aircraft
GMT. 29/2400Z AirVi sual Air-Intercept Radar D Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE Was Astronomical
Yes 00 Probably Astronomical
N Civilian Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9. COURSE Other.
000 Insufficient Date for Evaluation
1 1/2 minutes ESE Unknown
one
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Shiny white or aluminum Weather balloon released at
rise rapidly. Santa Monica at
have been Alta-
dena is a
mountain r rising to more
than 5,00 his updraft
balloon n to
rise rise rapidly. Case evaluated rapidly. Case evaluated
as a balloon sightigg. as a balloon sightigg.
ATIC FORM 329 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 7 26 SEP 52) 26 SEP 52)
.
.

object in the air. Deputy John R. Hogan was contacted on 30
October 1962 at 1200 hours PST and gave the fo information:
persons were standing outside
the east wing of the Sheriff's Building, Altadena, California,
observing and remarking on the clearness of the sky when the
object was first sighted. The flight path appeared to be from
SSE to NNW at an estimated altitude between 10,000 and 20,000
feet. At first the object appeared traveling slowly, but as
it went overhead the viewers stated that the speed of the object
seemed to suddenly increase rapidly The object was lost from
sight as it The four
observers rushed through building to the other side; however,
the object was not seen again. Deputy Hogan at first estimated
the altitude of the object at 2,Oo0 feet, while Sgt while Daley y believed
it to be between 10,000 and it to be between 10,000 and 0.000 .000 feet. Deputy Deputy Hogan later stated
he may have been he may have been in error on his estimate estimate and agreed the 10,000
feet altitude.
(2 At no time did any of the observers notice any tail,
c. Further research evealed:
R

balloon was released at O943hours.
d. The comments of the preparing officer are:
(1) From all the a information gathered, it would be most
bright in appearance, and the size and shape of a basketball would
tend to lead towards this logical assumption. In addition, the
weather balloon released from Santa Monica Airport was reported as
being white in color and
(2) Santa Monica Airport is located WSw in a direct line
at about at about 18 18r nautical miles from the Altadena Sheriff's Building.
The wind at the time t The wind at the time the object was sighted the object was sighted was very light was very light and
variable. It is entirely possible that the object sighted was It is entirely possible that the object sighted was
this very balloon, which was blown inland by vagrant level winds.
The time of the balloon release and distance required travel
make this entirely possible.
(3) The observers statad that at first the object seemed
to move rather slowly.1 Then as it came overhead, its speed increased
vary rapidly.
2

(4) It will be remembered that the Sheriff's Building is
situated i right at the foothills of the sharply rising mountains.
The wind at levels of 6,000 feet up to 50,000 feet was a pre-
vailing ESE wind. Therefore, the sudden increase in velocity of 2
the object can be explained by the updraft currents of air being
pushed aloft, which were caused by the orographic effect of the
rising mountain ridges be immediate background.
e. It is the opinion of the investigating officer that, based
on the strength of the facts herein presented, entified
object in this case was a weather balloon.
FOR TH IANDER
JESSE M. GULLETTE 1 Atch
I Colonel, USAF UFO Worksheet
Chief, Flight Operations Division
1
3

b. FOLLOWING TERMS: HEAD OF
EL, QUARTER, HALF OLLAR, BASEBALL,
GRAPEFRUIT, OR BA KETBALLHELD IN LENGTH.
c, COLOR Shinv aluminum or white
d. NUMBER --- T HT?
e ET N ONE -
JO ET3 TYET0
f. ANY DISCERNIBLE FEATURES OR DETAILS None
g. TAIL, TRAIL O1 EXHAUST, STZE
d DTOH OE
OBJECT None UDuLINone
—e.
h. SOUND. IF HE SOUND. OUND UND .None None
i, OTHER NENT OR UNUSUAL ENT OR UNUSUAL FEATURES FEATURES None
T. T.. 59.1
2. DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTIO URSE OF OBUECT: OF OBUECT:
8 VOI OL VOC OL
a. WHAT FIRST CALLED THE ATTENTION WHAT FIRST CALLED THE ATTEN OBSERVER Persons were Persons were
q q° LNNGA
observing observing and remarking and remarkin on clearness on clearness of of sky. pw
b. ANGLE OF ELEVATION AND AZIMUTH (DIRECTION) BY WHEN FIRST VEND
T02000, TO2000,
15° to 600 15o to 600 000. 200.
c. ANGLE OF-ELEV OBJECT WHEN LAST OBSERVED
150t0 60
T6OSLION
d,
+ 05R9ER2
SSE to NNW.
1*
e. MANNEROF DISAPPEARANCE OF OBJECT PasSed behind roof of house.
f. LENGTH OF IME IN STGHT I to I minutes
3.
C N a USE OF ONE OR ANY NUMBER OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: GROUND-VISUAL,
GROUND-ELECTRONIC, AI ECTRONIC (IF ELECTRO TYPE OF
RADAR
b. STATEMENT None
TOCT
c. IF THE SIGHTING WAS MADE WHILE AIRBORNE, GIVE TYPE OF ACFT ICATION
g NO. ALTJ -HOME-STATION
DPT

60
7. WEATHER AND WINDS ALOFT -CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AND PLACE OF SIGHTING:
a, OBSERVER'S ACCOUNT OF WEATHER CONDITIONS Clear conditions
DEEDMTL1IO: —
b. N
VELOCITY IN DEGREES AND KNOTS AT: -(IF AVAILABLE)
C SURFACE-Southeast 4 kts 20,000' 100/08 kts...
6,000'110/16 kts 30,000 110/173ts. HD
10,000r 50,0001 120/16.kts..
16,000' 130/11 kts 80,0001 N/A
5* O1 JEO14 ED NSIC
c. CEILING Clear CH OPIOL MHEMBTV2)
d. VISIBILITY
3' MHEL ETHAL or
e. AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER None CEEFH 10 JHE 0MR1 2026
5* DETT ETHITCY
f. THUNDERSTORMS IN AREA None
T
8. ANY OTHER UNUSUAL ACTIVITY OR ETC.
19- AnND ORD 13 HET 0
None
C
. INTERCEPTION OR ID
8 IMET
None GON
t" VHL DIBOTBTBTE LEXIOUE
1O. LOCATION OF ANY AIR TRAFFIC IN THE AH ONG
6. LOsNIIo" IL NOHE ne
None
9' "—…a…"
11. POSITION, TITLE AND COMMENTS OF INCLUDING H.S
O*
ANALYSLS Attached in letter form
CE, SUCH AS MATERLALS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
None
T DEXEI: Qp ih om20D end wccle
KENNETH W. SCHWOEBELA
Captain, USAF
Submitted by
Date/Time Group
L
IRE