A grayish disc-shaped object which
hovered, wobbling on its axis, then evaded pursuit,
was sighted October 2, 1961 at Salt Lake City, Utah
airport.
Private pilot Waldo J. Harris, a real estate broker,
investigated the object in his light aircraft as 8-10
ground personnel at the airport watched. Mr. Harris
signed a NICAP report form on October 10, and later
answered additional questions by a NICAP Subcommittee
member. His report: "I was preparing to take off in a
Mooney Mark 20A from the North- South runway at Utah
Central Airport when I noticed a bright spot in the
sky over the southern end of the Salt Lake Valley. I
began my take-off run without paying much attention to
the bright spot as I assumed that it was some aircraft
reflecting the sun as it turned. After I was airborne
and trimmed for my climb-out, I noticed that the
bright spot was still about in the same position as
before. I still thought it must be the sun reflecting
from an airplane, so I made my turn onto my cross-wind
leg of the traffic pattern, and was about to turn
downwind when I noticed that the spot was in the same
spot still.
"I turned out of the pattern and proceeded toward the
spot to get a better look. As I drew nearer I could
see that the object had no wings nor tail nor any
other exterior control surfaces protruding from what
appeared to be the fuselage. It seemed to be hovering
with a little rocking motion. As it rocked up away
from me, I could see that it was a disc shaped object.
I would guess the diameter at about 50 to 55 feet, the
thickness in the middle at about 8 to 10 feet. It had
the appearance of sand- blasted aluminum. I could see
no windows or doors or any other openings, nor could I
see any landing gear doors, etc., protruding, nor
showing.
"I believe at the closest point I was about 2 miles
from the object, at the same altitude or a little
above the object. It rose abruptly about 1000 feet
above me as I closed in, giving me an excellent view
of the underneath side, which was exactly like the
upper side as far as I could tell. Then it went off on
a course of about 170 degrees for about 10 miles where
it again hovered with that little rocking motion.
"I again approached the object, but not so closely
this time, when it departed on a course of about 245
degrees climbing at about 18 to 20 degrees above the
horizon. It went completely out of sight in 2 or 3
seconds. As you know I can keep our fastest jets in
sight for several minutes, so you can see that this
object was moving rather rapidly.
"All the time I was observing the object, after
getting visual confirmation from the ground, I was
describing what I saw on radio unicom frequency. I was
answering questions from the ground both from Utah
Central, and Provo. The voice at Provo said that they
could not see the object, but at least 8 or 10 people
did see it from the ground at Utah Central Airport.
"As to seeing it again, I was returning to the field
after it had departed when I was asked over radio if I
still could see the object , and I reported that I
could not. They said they had it in sight again. I
turned back and saw it at much greater distance only
for about a second or two when it completely vanished.
The guys on the ground said it went straight up as it
finally left, but I didn't see that departure."
On the NICAP report form, Mr. Harris pointed out that
the UFO at one time "passed below the horizon in front
of mountains to the south." This fact rules out any
astronomical explanation.
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