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This 81-page Project Blue Book case file covers the Levelland, Texas sightings of the night of 2 to 3 November 1957. It holds the record card, Air Force teletype reports from the 1006th AISS and radar units, witness questionnaires, press clippings about the White Sands sightings, and analyst memos. Several witnesses said a bluish-white oval object stopped their car engines. The Air Force concluded the cause was ball lightning in stormy weather, with wet or faulty ignition systems explaining the engine failures.
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 1. DATE 2-3 November 2. LOCATION Vicinity Levelland, Texas 12. CONCLUSIONS □ Was Balloon □ Probably Balloon □ Possibly Balloon □ Was Aircraft □ Probably Aircraft □ Possibly Aircraft □ Was Astronomical □ Probably Astronomical □ Possibly Astronomical □ Other Ball lightning □ Insufficient Data for Evaluation □ Unknown 3. DATE-TIME GROUP Local 1100-0130 MST GMT 03/0430Z 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION □ Ground-Visual □ Ground-Radar □ Air-Visual □ Air-Intercept Radar 5. PHOTOS □ Yes □ No 6. SOURCE Civilian 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 3 seconds to 4 mins 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS one 9. COURSE varied 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING This case triggered off more than 300 similarly described reports within a 5 day period because of the nationwide publicity and sensationalism given by the press, radio and TV. Oval or round shaped object, generally bluish-white or greenish-white in color. The size and maneuvers of the obj varied with different (6) observers, which ranged from the size of a basket ball to 800 feet in length, although the majority reporting that the obj hovered above the ground. Most of the observers stated that the obj affected or stopped their cars ignition. Duration to 4 mins. Significant to note that all ming or lightning flashes & the existence of sightings ranged from 2 secs but one observer mentioned light-ance of rain or mist in the area. 11. COMMENTS After very extensive checks and detailed investigations by the Air Force and with complete collaboration with both Air Force and non-governmental scientists it was concluded that the sighting was due to a very rare phenomena, ball lightning. On of sightings ranged from 2 secs but one observer mentioned light-ance of rain or mist in the area. ATIC PORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
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