UFO sighted by pilot over Alaska in 1955

Summary

In October 1955, a U.S. Air Force pilot reported an unidentified flying object over Alaska. The sighting occurred at 5:51 AM on October 29, from Elmendorf Air Base. The pilot described an object with an indefinite outline, dark in color, and trailing an orange flame. The tail was initially seven times longer than the object, but it drastically shortened within two seconds. The sighting lasted five seconds and no sound was heard. Weather conditions were clear, ruling out bad weather as an explanation.

Although the pilot described the object as resembling an aircraft more than a meteor, several factors suggest otherwise. The brief duration of the sighting, the sudden shortening of the glowing tail, and the inability to detect it with radar indicate it could have been a meteor. Additionally, no meteor shower was expected in the area at that time. The report concludes that, while the pilot was a reliable witness, no further useful information was obtained and the object is considered possibly astronomical.