Table 1

Date 1952 Time EST Number Targets Radar contact Visual contact Color contact Location contact Altitude MSL (feet) Reported by Radiosonde Observations Remarks
DCA CTR DCA TWR ADW APC Temperature Lapse Rate Humidity
5-en en to en Estimated 50 X DCA Terminal Center Inversions: 2 deg from 700 to 1500 ft., 1 deg from 9600 to 10.000 ft., otherwise normal Normal Speed 20 to 35 mph, followed curved course from 15 miles south of Arcola over Manassas, La Plata and McLean
7-en Not available 1 X Quantico 2000 National 42 Not available for locality Not available for locality No details available
7-en 0300 1 X Blue-White 60 Miles Southwest DCA 11,000 Capt. Bruen National DCA: Surface inversions 6 deg below 10,000 ft. DCA: low, below measuring limits at 11,000 ft. Came up to altitude of aircraft, hovered 2 miles to left of northbound aircraft. Pilot turned on all lights. Ball of light took off, going up and away.
7-en 2112 6 X Red Vicinity Langley Field 1000 to 2000 Pan-American Ferry 901 Norfolk: Superadiabatic lapse rate around 9000 ft. DCA: surface inversion 2 deg. Norfolk: high, but fell off at 6000 ft. DCA: sharp fall at 6000 ft. Estimated speed 1000 miles per hour, heading northest with sudden change to west-southwest
7-en 2340 8 X X East and South ADW Center DCA: surface inversion 3 deg isothermal between 8000 and 10.000 ft. DCA: Above 10,000 dropped, then increased slightly, dropping again at 15,000 ft. Fair to weak targets, speed 100 to 130 miles per hour.
7-en 0100 7 X DCA to Martinsburg Capitol 807 DCA: surface inversion 3 deg isothermal between 8000 and 10,000 ft. DCA: Above 10,000 ft. dropped, then increased slightly, dropping again at 15,000 ft. Lights moved rapidly up, down, and horizontally. Also hovered.
7-en Early morning 1 X Orange