Cold Open. This is a declassified record titled “1959‑09‑6957790‑Adana‑Washington,” filed by the United States Air Force, 337th Fighter Group, and the Air Technical Intelligence Center on September twenty‑six, nineteen fifty‑nine. The document records a civilian sighting of unidentified flying objects over Adana, Washington, and is notable for its detailed meteorological data and the inclusion of airline flight information.
Provenance. The record was released to the public through The Black Vault archive, accessible at archive dot org slash download slash 1959‑09‑6957790‑Adana‑Washington. The material was made available without a specific Freedom of Information Act case number; the declassification authority is listed as the United States Air Force. The release date is not indicated in the archive entry.
The Document. Project one zero zero seven three, record card one. Date, zero. Location, twenty‑nine September nineteen fifty‑nine, Adana, Washington. Date‑time group, A. Type of observation, visual. Ground radar, not applicable. Air visual, checked. Air infrared, not applicable. Photo source, civilian. Length of observation, not specified. Number of objects, nine. Course, not reported. Conclusions: “Probably balloon,” “Possibly balloon,” “Probably aircraft,” “Possibly aircraft,” “Probably astronomical,” “Possibly astronomical,” “Insufficient data for evaluation,” “Unknown.”
Brief summary of sighting. Three objects sighted, each with a blue cast and a trail of formation. The objects were seen first, then a third appeared. Objects were flying south and then turned to the southeast, disappeared behind trees. An apparent change in altitude was noted; the initial observation was estimated at thirty to forty degrees elevation, disappearance reported at twenty‑five degrees elevation.
Comments. Four days after the alleged sighting, three airline flights were recorded to the east of the observer’s position between zero seven hundred Zulu and zero seven thirty Zulu. Lighting is believed to be one of these aircraft or other aircraft under visual flight conditions.
Report header. Air Technical Intelligence Center, Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. A report of civilian sighting of unidentified flying objects is submitted in accordance with Air Force Procedure Regulation two C zero two. Description of object: (1) Round. (2) Flight‑head held at arm’s length. (3) Blue cast. (4) Two‑thirds first sighted then the third appeared. (5) Trail formation. (6) No detail visible. (7) No trails, etc. (8) No noise or sounds heard.
Description of course: (1) The bright lights in the sky commanded observer’s attention. (2) Thirty to forty degree elevation of first sighting. (3) Twenty‑five degrees elevation at disappearance. (4) Traveled south, then southeast before disappearing.
Interior of observation: (1) Round, visual. (2) Optical aids used. Time and date of sighting: (1) Zero seven hundred Zulu, September twenty‑six, nineteen fifty‑nine. (2) Light conditions noted. Location of observer: Adana, Washington, forty‑six degrees north, one twenty‑three minutes west. Identifying information: W. M. S. M. H. U. K., Jr., Adana, Washington, Telephone Railroad Section Hand, reliable.
Weather and winds: (1) Scattered to broken. (2) Surface wind south three knots, six thousand feet at seventy degrees twenty knots, ten thousand feet twenty knots, twenty‑zero degrees Celsius at thirty thousand feet fifty knots, forty thousand feet twenty knots, fifty thousand feet thirty knots, scattered at sixty thousand feet, unlimited. (3) Toledo, Washington airport, overcast two miles with very light rain and fog. (4) Two nautical miles, eight hundred broken, two thousand feet. (5) Over five‑
