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Project Blue Book case file: Levelland, November 2-3, 1957 (81 pages)

USAF / National Archives via The Black Vault · 82 pages · text by OCR

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.

  • p. 16 …and story researchers due in tomorrow, your cooperation in this matter would be appreciated. 3 $ \bot…
  • p. 66 …He was eager to cooperate in resolving the sighting and frequently asked the sudden importance of…
AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT

1006th AISSEnt AF9, Colorado	REPORT NO.AISS-UF0B-386-57	Part Eight
PL.GR.	19	CF	19

## COMMENTS OF THE PREPARING OFFICER

1. The following comments concerning the descriptions, reliability, etc., of the SOURCES treated in Parts One through Six are offered:

a. Only one observer (Part One) said an object hovered over or on the ground. One observer (Part Two) said an object moved over his head at a low altitude, and one observer (Part Six) saw an object hovering and swinging in a pendulum motion considerable distance above the ground. The other observers saw a light streak across the sky (Parts Three and Four) or a bolt of lightning (Part Five).

b. Reference Part Two. This observer's account of the sighting cannot be relied upon. His statements that the object was going eight hundred miles per hour and that the object was three hundred feet away from him are not compatible with the reported length of time in sight. Also his description of the weather conditions does not agree with the established conditions in the area.

c. The observers treated in Parts Three and Four reported seeing only a streak of light. In the opinion of the preparing officer, no basis exist for linking these sightings with the sightings treated in Parts One, Two, Five and Six.

d. Reference Part Six. The sighting described in this part occurred two days after the sightings treated in the other parts. The description of this sighting is so completely different and unsupported by other sightings that the Preparing Officer feels that it is not connected with the other sightings

e. Reference Part Five. The sighting treated in this part is included only as a possible explanation for the other sightings. The fact that the radio and lights were cut out for a few seconds by the lightning in this sighting indicates that lightning could have entered into the other sightings.

f. Reference Part One. In the opinion of the Preparing Officer, the sighting treated in this part is the most important. The reliability, sincerity, and intelligence of the SOURCE lend credence to this account of his sighting.

2. In the opinion of the Preparing Officer, the following possibilities exist:

a. Weather phenomena, such as St. Elmo Fire on a similar phenomenon.

b. Ball lightning. There were Nimbus clouds in the area, which, according to information at this organization must be present for ball lightning to occur.

c. Reflection of excess burning gas from a very low cloud cover.

d. A meteorological phenomenon which could be any combination of para-{raphs 2a, b, and c above.

3. It is felt that insufficient knowledge of the above phenomena exists at this organization to completely resolve this sighting. Therefore, this sighting is forwarded as unresolved.

INDICATE THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES A THIN THE MEANING OF THE EXPANSION ACT, JOU S. G. 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES. EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF.

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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 82 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.