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This is a New Zealand Defence Force public release of RNZAF file AIR 39/3/3, "Flying Saucers," which covers 1952 to 1955 and was declassified in September 2010 under the Official Information Act. It collects sighting reports from the public and military personnel, press clippings, and a table of 1952 sightings. It also holds Carter Observatory opinions attributing some reports to meteors. A large part covers the inquiry into lights seen from National Airways Corporation Flight 108 on 31 October 1955, which the RNZAF could not fully explain as Venus.
“Open Minds”13 pages
S AIR DEPARTMENT CIVIL AVIATION BRANCH NOV 3 1952 AIR DEPT. SAFETY INCIDENT REPORT FORM. AIR SAFETY INCIDENT REPORT FORM. (To be submitted within 24 hrs. of occurrence of the incident.) TO: CONTROLLER OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. (THROUGH AREA CONTROLLER...) Wellington The following incident in relation to the safety of air navigation is reported. PLACE: Sugarloaf hill near Napier DATE: 30/10/52 TIME: approx 9.30pm. A/C.TYPE(s): extremely bright unknown object MARKING: DETAILS OF INCIDENT: Senr. Sgt. Tanner of Napier police reports that a communication from a person who gave his name and address and reporting the sighting of the object has been filed for possible future use and/or investigation. Mr. ---- was driving along the road from Napier towards Greenmeadows at approximately 9.30 pm on thursday 30th October, 1952, when he and his companion saw a very bright light or object over the Sugarloaf hill. It remained motionless for a few minutes then moved to the left then returned to right before disappearing out of sight. It was too bright to have been mistaken for a star and he is convinced that it was a "flying saucer" though the brightness prevented them from discerning its shape. His companion will corroborate the above details." ACTION TAKEN BY SENIOR OFFICER AT REPORTING STATION: Police advised that though the incident was unusual it would be despatched to appropriate section of Air Department for actioning. (For use by AREA CONTROLLER.) CONTROLLER OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
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