UFO seen from an airliner over the Gulf of Mexico

Summary

In January 1956, a Pan Am flight engineer spotted a cigar-shaped object with a pale blue glow and a flickering yellow flame. The object moved rapidly from the southern to the northern horizon, with no apparent trajectory, about 30 degrees above the plane. The captain and co-pilot didn't see it due to their positions at the time.

The classified report considered it likely a comet or meteor, given the simultaneous sightings in St. Petersburg and Miami. However, the engineer's description adds mystery, as the object didn't exhibit typical celestial motion. The lack of precise data and the brief nature of the sighting made a definitive evaluation difficult.