Official UFOs:

Appendix III

LARSON AFB, WASHINGTON - 26 August 1951

On 26 August 1951 at 0836 PST, an unidentified flying object was detected by an AN/CPS-4 and AN/CPS-1 radar sets. The object was tracked continuously for a period of six minutes and made a timed ground speed of 950 mph. The object was on a course of 340° with only slight deviations enroute. An altitude reading of 13,000 feet was obtained but the accuracy of the measurement is questionable due to the brief length of time the object was detected.

The F-86 aircraft were scrambled but radar contact with the object was lost before the aircraft were airborne. A visual search was conducted from 17,000 to 25,000 feet with negative results.

The operator of the radar set, an Air Force Captain, is considered to be an expert operator.

Weather

Weather conditions at the time of the sighting were not favorable for anomalous microwave propagation.

Status of Investigation

Review of this incident by the Electronics Section of ATIC concludes that the return was possibly due to interference. This was concluded because of the apparent path of the object, directly approaching the station, and the fact that the target was observed on only the low beam of the AN/CPS-1 radar set.