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This NICAP compilation by Dan Wilson gathers Project Blue Book records on the sighting of 24 February 1959, when American Airlines Flight 139, flying from Newark to Detroit, and two United Airlines crews saw three lights over Pennsylvania and Ohio. It includes the record card, pilot statements, Air Force letters and correspondence with an Akron UFO committee. The Air Force concluded that the lights came from three B-47s refueling from KC-97 tankers. Book excerpts disputing Captain Killian's later claims are also included.
“Long John Nebel”1 page
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11. Possibly this could be the answer. ## Sincerely, LAWRENCE J. TACKER As suggested in this last letter I wrote to American Airlines inquiring about the radar equipment aboard Capt. Killian's aircraft. I received the following letter: ## November 9, 1959 ## mar Mr. Kirsch: The radar that we carry on our DC-6's as well as the DC-7's, 707's and the Electra's is a C-Band weather radar with iso-echo circuitry and is used entirely for the avoidance of turnulence and hall. It is made under certain conditions, to detect the presence of other aircraft but its value in this regard is negligible. I have used it myself to detect other aircraft in flight when I could see the other aircraft and have found that in most collision situations it was difficult to establish the presence of the 'blip' even when the position of the traffic was known. I do not believe, from practical conservation, that this equipment has any real utility in collision warning even if it were to be manned continuously by a special radar operator due to its limits on range and revolving power. Yours very truly. Franklin W. Koik Director, Equipment Research American Airlines, Inc. I won't make a long analysis of these letters but will let them stand by themselves. In view of this information it is my opinion that this sighting was actually caused by an aerial refueling operation, that the Air Force explanation for this case is correct, and that civilian UFO research is guilty of failing to look far enough to find the truth. The first letter from the Air Force proves that Capt. Killian was wrong about the three objects being too slow to be jets. The letter from American Airlines explains why the objects did not show up on Capt. Killian's radar set. It is clear that whoever co-pilot John Dee checked with siruply did not know of the refueling operation. As for the varying intensity and position of the lights, an aerial refueling operation can also account for this. The lights would change relative position as the jet aircraft involved would move closer or further away from each other. Their intensity could vary because of hase or the angle of observation.
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