UFO seen by T-33 pilot over Colorado in 1960

Summary

In September 1960, a T-33 fighter pilot reported a bright object while flying 40 miles east of Grand Junction, Colorado. The aircraft was heading east, and the object appeared straight ahead at 30 degrees above the horizon. As it moved, it disappeared 45 degrees to the pilot’s left and 15 degrees above the horizon. The pilot compared its brightness to an arc light and noted a visible tail about nine inches long on the canopy. Although no photos were taken and the exact duration wasn’t recorded, investigators concluded it was likely a large meteor, or fireball. The description matched typical characteristics of this astronomical phenomenon, and no conflicting data was found. The case was classified as a meteor and not considered an unidentified object.