Director of Flight Operations
Captain F. W. Cushing
FLIGHT 14 - SEPTEMBER 6, 1955
On Flight 14 of the 6th at approximately 1925 EST, geographical position approximately 16 nautical miles north of the POW Omni Range, 004 degree track, at 5000 ft. with a clear sky above, unlimited visibility horizontally and a smoke layer below, sighted an unidentified object with a blue-white exhaust flame between a half mile or mile directly ahead at approximately 1000 ft. above our position on what appeared to be about a 200-210 degree heading in about a 15-20 degree angle descent.
In approximately 3 seconds the object had moved from directly in front of us to about 100 degrees from our track placing it off our left beam and was then emitting a lot of sparks as well as the blue flame. At that time, it exploded with a blinding flash within, I would say, a half mile or mile of our position.
Flight 412, who, I believe, was in the vicinity of ALB at about 8000 ft. reported seeing the flash although he was northbound. Southbound Flight 33, who was approximately just south of Cex-sackie at about 6000 ft., also reported seeing the flash.
I could not see what the object was except that it appeared like a rocket ship - although that is, perhaps, partially imagination because all I really got a look at was this trail of flame and, just before it exploded, it seemed like pictures I have seen of a stage falling off of a rocket. I don't think it was an airplane as I did not observe any position lights. I feel certain that it was not a meteor as we had been looking in that direction and it just appeared. There was no trace of it until it got right in front of us. Its speed did not seem to have been in excess of 400-500 mph.
FWC:GA
F. W. Cushing
A. J. Schocht
First Officer
9-7-55
Poughkeepsie
NW 911198 DocId:347445775
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