65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Serial_130

Authority:

NND 90986

HEADQUARTERS
IN REPLY AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
REFER TO: MITCHEL FIELD, NEW YORK

12 September 1947

SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
(Interview - Alpheus 0. Powell)

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:

The following information was received 12 August 1947 from Mr.
Alpheus 0, Powell, 28 Redwood Road, Wew Hyde Park, Long Island, relative
to the sighting of a possible flying dise 4 August 1947,

On 4 August 1947, Mr Powell, an Airlines Captain with Pan American
Airways, Inc., was the first pilot of a Constellation type aircraft on «a
flight from Gander, Newfoundland, to La Guardia Field, New York. Mr. Powell
took over the aircraft at Gander, Newfoundland and departed at approximately
1250 P.M., Eastern Daylight Saving Time for La Guardia Field, New York. At
1600 P.M., at a position approximately midway between the Everett (Mass) fan
Marker and the Bedford Radio Beacon (Everett is 3 miles HW of Boston, Mass.,
and Bedford is 15 miles NW of the same city) both Mr Powell and Mr W. White,
navigator on this trip, sighted unidentifieble flying objects. To the best
of Mr. Powell's knowledge, the following weather conditions existed at that
times Visibility was goods cloud coverage was from 6-8/l0ths, with tops at
10,000 feet; end the wind at the 8,000 foot level was estimated as being
270/25 miles per hour, The sircraft was at 8,000 feet; airspeed 265 mph;
and the course was 244 degrees, magnetic.

Mr White, who was sitting in the co-pilots seat (the right side of
the cockpit) first called Mr. Powell's attention to a bright orange objeot,,
which was on the right side of the plane, end slightly below the level of the
airereft, Mr Powell was unable to see the object, as he had no visibility to
the right and down, from his position, Mr Powell immediately glanced out his
side window and noticed, at a 45° angle to the left, and wmidentified flying
abject. It was about one mile away at an altitude of approximately 7,500
feet. Mr Powell banked to obtein a better view of the object. The object
was under observation for approximately 50 seconds, and during this time was
viewed by Mr Powell, Mr Powell described the object as being about the length
of a P-40 fuselage, blunt at both ends, cylindrical in shape, and having a
bright orange hue. Mr Powell stated that the object had a definite shape, and
that there was no suggestion of gaseous dissipation as there would be if the
orange color were the exhaust from a rocket, or a jet aircraft. Mr Powell
estimated the course of the-objest to be 200° magnetic, and that the object
was travelling at approximately 160 mph. Mr Powell lost sight of the object,
when a cloud came between the aircraft and the object. The pursuit of the
object was not continued, inasmuch as it would have necessitated a departure
from the established airways,

in conjunction with contract flying for the AAF. Mr White states that he
has flown with Mr Powell on a mumber of occasions, and he considers him
te be a very stable persons completely r…