UFO sighted off the coast of California in 1961

Summary

A U.S. Air Force pilot and navigator reported a small oval object, the size of a pinhead and silver in color, observed for one minute. The incident occurred on May 24, 1961, while the RC-121D aircraft was flying at 16,000 feet over the Pacific near the California coast. The object appeared at about 10 degrees elevation, followed a straight path, and reached a maximum elevation of approximately 50 degrees before disappearing. Initially thought to be the Echo I satellite, its speed was too slow to match. Investigators concluded it was likely a meteor, though an atmospheric inversion could have contributed to the misidentification. The report included no photos or radar data and relied solely on the crew's visual observation.