UFO sighted over Libya in 1958

Summary

In January 1958, a military pilot observed an unusual aerial phenomenon over southwest Libya. A bright orange light streaked across the sky at high speed, accompanied by an extremely bright blue flash that reflected into the aircraft's cockpit. The aircraft simultaneously experienced a noticeable acceleration. The pilot's navigator also reported radar interference on his set approximately ten minutes before the sighting. After about an hour of flying, a thin outline resembling a vapor trail or high cirrus cloud was observed near the estimated position of the object. Although initially considered a possible fragment of Sputnik I, investigators concluded it was more likely a meteor. The short duration of the sighting and the absence of disintegration or debris are inconsistent with a satellite re-entry.