DOW-UAP-D158: Flying Objects Report - A Blinking Bluish Light over Prince George Airport, British Columbia, 1953

Source file: DOW-UAP-D158-Flying_Object_Report_Canada-1953.pdf Originating agency: United States Air Force (USAF), Headquarters 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Prince George, British Columbia Document type: Flying Objects Report under AFR 200-2, in formal letter format Date: 13 November 1953 (date of report); the sighting itself, by its date-time group, 8 November 1953, 0315Z Classification: "(Unclassified)" as stated in the subject line; stamped DECLASSIFIED, Authority NND 57597; publicly released in 2026 Page count: 4 VIRIN: 260508-D-D0360-1150 PURSUE Release: 7

Summary

On a clear, dark night, with no moon and the stars plainly visible, two U.S. Air Force air policemen were standing guard over a B-29 at Prince George Airport in northern British Columbia. What first looked to them like a falling star did not keep falling: the light came down to about 150 feet above the ground, stopped, rose straight up, stopped again, and finally moved off to the west while climbing. The whole event took about four minutes.

The document is a formal report by the 918th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, an American radar unit operating on Canadian soil. It fills in the twelve mandatory items of AFR 200-2 of 26 August 1953 and is signed by the squadron intelligence officer, Captain James F. Mitchell, with the words "Cause unknown."

The report offers no explanation, does not mention any check of the squadron's own radar, and records that there was no air traffic in the area and that no interception was attempted.

Research Article

The sighting: from falling star to hover

The central item of the report, the description of flight path and manoeuvres, is terse: "Appeared at first to be a falling star. Came to within approximately 150 feet of the ground, staying at that altitude approximately 30 seconds, unmoving." Then: "Ascended straight up from this position for about 300 feet and was motionless for nearly 10 seconds then disappeared in a westerly direction, climbing."

Elevation at first sighting was recorded as approximately 15 degrees, and at disappearance as "approximately 135°". A value above 90 degrees literally means the object passed the zenith to the observers' far side; the report does not explain the figure. Azimuth at both points is given as "unknown." Manner of disappearance: "Object was lost to sight due to distance and altitude." Length of time in sight: approximately four minutes.

The object

The description of the object is short and consistent: round in shape; size comparable to a "Basketball held at arms length"; colour "White light with blue tint," and "Light was blinking rhythmically of one second duration each." There was one object, no formation, no discernible features and no tail, trail or exhaust.

The most unusual entry on the form is the sound: "Humming sound, heard for approximately two seconds." The report does not say at which stage of the sighting the hum was heard.

Observers and conditions

The observation was ground-visual, with no optical aids. The location is given by the GEOREF coordinate "NK 3735," Prince George Airport. The identification item lists only two observers, both military, and no civilians: Technical Sergeant Arvel Lee Daniel, the squadron's Provost Sergeant, and Staff Sergeant John Junior Bricker, an Air Policeman. Both are rated "reliable," and the entry adds: "Airmen were guarding a B-29 aircraft at airport."

The observers' account of the weather: "Clear and dark; no moon. Stars were clearly visible." The report from the nearest weather station, ceiling, visibility and cloud cover are all entered as "Unknown," and there were no thunderstorms in the area.

Questions of date and number of witnesses

Two details in the report do not match the official description released with it. First, the date: 13 November 1953 is the date of the letter, but the sighting's date-time group is "080315Z November 1953," that is, 8 November at 03:15 Greenwich time. On North American Pacific time that falls on the evening of 7 November. Second, the official description speaks of three Air Force servicemembers, while the report identifies only two observers by name. The signing intelligence officer is not presented as a witness.

Structure and distribution

The letter bears the number AF601870 and the reference "OPNS 333.5," and went to five addressees: the Director of Intelligence, Headquarters USAF, Washington; the Commander, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado; the Commander, Air Technical Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; the Commander, Western Air Defense Force, Hamilton Air Force Base, California; and the Commander, 25th Air Division (Defense), McChord Air Force Base, Washington. Page 2 is the back of the first sheet, with the typing showing through in reverse and a circular receipt stamp dated 18 November in its corner. Items 8 to 11, covering other unusual activity, physical evidence, interception action and air traffic in the area, are all answered "None."

Significance

A few details lift this report slightly above the routine AFR 200-2 forms of 1953: two uniformed witnesses on guard duty who were not looking for anything in the sky, a moonless and cloudless night, a defined sequence of descent, hover, vertical climb and second hover, and a brief humming sound. Against that, the evidence is thin. There is no azimuth; the 150- and 300-foot heights are estimates made in darkness with no known reference point; no official weather data were collected; and the radar squadron itself reports no return of any kind. The final assessment, "Cause unknown," fits that situation exactly: a well-recorded sighting that was not investigated beyond the witnesses' statements.

Key People

Locations

Incidents

Notable Quotes

"Color - White light with blue tint. Light was blinking rhythmically of one second duration each." -- page 1

"Sound - Humming sound, heard for approximately two seconds." -- page 1

"Came to within approximately 150 feet of the ground, staying at that altitude approximately 30 seconds, unmoving." -- page 3

"Ascended straight up from this position for about 300 feet and was motionless for nearly 10 seconds then disappeared in a westerly direction, climbing." -- page 3

"Airmen were guarding a B-29 aircraft at airport." -- page 3

"Observers account of weather conditions - Clear and dark; no moon. Stars were clearly visible." -- page 4

"Position, title and comments of the preparing officer - Intelligence Officer, Captain. Cause unknown." -- page 4