What did the declassified documents reveal?

Cold open. This is a declassified United States Air Force Form, reference number xxxx 03 9736966, originating from Dayton, Ohio. Dated six March, nineteen sixty‑seven, the questionnaire records an unidentified flying object observation reported to the Air Force’s Technical Investigation Division. The document is hosted on The Black Vault archive. Provenance. The file was released to the public through The Black Vault’s digital collection, uploaded on an unspecified date as part of a broader FOIA‑based release of Air Force UFO investigation records. The declassification authority is listed as the United States Air Force, with the material placed in the public domain under the agency’s archival policy. The document. The top of the form bears the heading “DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE – HEADQUARTERS TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION (Affiliated WITH PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO).” Beneath that, the memorandum line reads “ATTN: TDS/UFO – 24.” The subject line states “UFO REPORT – 1967.” The form is identified as “FTD FORM 164,” a standard “Form for Reporting Unidentified Flying Objects.” The introductory paragraph instructs the witness: “We wish to know the angular size. Hold a match stick at arm’s length in line with a known object and note how much of the object is covered by the head of the match. If you performed this experiment at the time of the sighting, how much of the object would have been covered by the match head?” The form then proceeds with a series of numbered questions. Question one asks the observer to describe the object’s appearance, with prompts for shape, color, and any visible features. Question two requests the time of the sighting, while question three asks for the date, month, and year. Question four inquires whether the object was observed at night, and if so, what the observer noticed concerning the stars and the moon. The answer options for the moon are: “None,” “Bright moonlight,” “Dull moonlight,” “No moonlight,” “Don’t remember.” Question five asks about weather conditions, offering choices such as “Clear,” “Hazy,” “Scattered clouds,” “Thick overcast clouds,” “Fog, mist, or light rain,” “Moderate or heavy rain,” and “Snow.” Question six records the location of the observer at the time of the sighting, with options including “Inside a building,” “In a car,” “Outdoors,” “In an airplane,” and “Other.” Question seven asks whether the observer was moving, and if so, the direction of travel, providing the cardinal points from north through northwest. Further questions probe the object’s behavior. Question eight asks whether the object appeared as a light, and whether it was brighter than the brightest stars. Question nine queries the brightness of the object relative to known stars. Question ten asks the observer to describe the edges of the object, offering descriptors such as “Fuzzy or blurry,” “Sharp,” and “Like a bright star.” Question eleven asks whether the object moved in a straight line, changed speed, broke apart…

Why was this case declassified?

This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Cold Open.

◆ BLUF — The short version

Cold open. This is a declassified United States Air Force Form, reference number xxxx 03 9736966, originating from Dayton, Ohio. Dated six March, nineteen sixty‑seven, the questionnaire records an unidentified flying object observation reported to the Air Force’s Technical Investigation Division.

Agency: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Cold Open. about?: Cold open. This is a declassified United States Air Force Form, reference number xxxx 03 9736966, originating from Dayton, Ohio. Dated six March, nineteen sixty‑seven, the questionnaire records an unidentified flying object observation reported to the Air Force’s Technical Investigation Division.
Why was this case declassified?: This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked in the case notes above so the citation chain is fully auditable.

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