1986-06-20 - Tucson, AZ - Fireball

SLOW-MOVING FIREBALL REPORTED SEEN IN TUCSON, ARIZONA IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

While standing in an open doorway at the rear of the building that I worked in, I was smoking a cigarette. I was alone. I was facing North, when from the West, I heard a "roaring" sound...as the sound one would hear listening to a powerful furnace, roaring flame sound. Suddenly, passing over the building west of us, came a very slow-moving giant ball of flame. It seemed to be almost hovering, it was moving so slow. Estimation: 1-2 mph. My mouth dropped open as I watched this object move West to East in front of my eyes...I estimated it to be moving approximately 15-20 feet above the ground..it was almost perfectly round...I could see a dark round mass within the violent flames encircling it..It left a trail of flame,with a few sparks flickering on the tail of the flame. The diameter I guessed to have been about 15 feet (when I was looking at I quickly made a mental note that one could have easily placed a full-sized automobile within it). It passed in front of me approximately by about 20 feet. I watched it move easterly across the fence next to our property, and until it was out of my sight! Approximately 1/2 hour afterwards, I heard on a radio broadcast that it had been seen and reported to that radio station, by 100's of people! The broadcaster stated that this radio station had called our local air force base, Davis Monthan, and inquired if they'd heard of this reported phenomena. Supposed response from the Air Force was: It was an experiment they were working..... Yeah, right!!

((NUFORC Note: Date is approximate. PD))