PUBLIC RELEASE SOURCE REVIEW ยท INDEPENDENT ANALYTIC CASE FILE
CASE FILE 79 / 237UAP00033
237UAP00033
Multiple-witness public UAP report; score 48
HIGH-VALUE UNRESOLVED
Report No.
UAP-OM-79-237UAP00033
Disposition
HIGH-VALUE UNRESOLVED
Primary Case
237UAP00033
Generated
2026-05-20 18:32 UTC
Report Time
2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00
Observer
42.91100, -82.52890
Source Case IDs
237UAP00033
Abstract
This case file evaluates a reported UAP sighting against the available orbital-object layer. No compact same-launch group fully identifies the file by itself. The final disposition is assigned under a normal-object favored standard, where ordinary aerospace/orbital explanations are preferred when they reasonably fit the report.
This is a standalone independent analysis prepared from public-source records and public orbital datasets. It is not an official government determination, classification marking, or agency-authored report.
1. Executive Summary
237UAP00033 was screened against historical public LEO catalog objects orbital elements at the extracted time and observer coordinate. The screen did not produce enough mundane evidence to close the case under the normal-object favored standard. Hard features retained for follow-up: multiple witnesses/facilities.
1.1 Key Findings
Source score 48 based on: multiple aircraft/facility witnesses, NORAD/AMOC/EADS/CONR check, UAP/UFO language.
Report time used: 2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00.
External object layer used: public LEO catalog objects.
Disposition standard: UNRESOLVED requires case-specific causal fit. Satellite density above the horizon is context only and cannot by itself resolve the report.
Non-causal context / rejection screens: very dense orbital-object sky background; context only, not causation.
Remaining hard features: multiple witnesses/facilities.
Objects above horizon: 755; at/above 10 deg: 356.
No compact same-launch/designator group survived the report threshold.
No explicit Starlink/balloon wording was found in the source excerpt used for ranking.
1.2 Bottom Line
HIGH-VALUE UNRESOLVED: Hard report features remain after the normal-object screens, such as primary/radar evidence, multiple witnesses, footage references, or motion language that still conflicts with the available object layer.
2. Source Control
The source-control table identifies the public report records reviewed for this case and lists public access links where available. The table is included so this PDF remains interpretable when distributed by itself.
ZAB reports multiple ACFT reporting possible UFO sighting in VCNTY of PHN (Amarillo, TX) from 0440-0440. ACFT were NW bound from DFW area. HQ DEN contacted NORAD who reports no known activity. 0525 ZAB reports internet search revealed NASA website indicating the Space Station would be visible from that vicinity and in that time frame. ZAB OMIC is logging the event in the daily record.
Report time used
2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00
Observer coordinate used
42.91100, -82.52890
Observer source basis
aviation_fix:VCNTY of PHN (public text extract 237UAP00033)
4. Methodology
Spacetime extraction. The report time and observer coordinate were extracted from the public text report and normalized to UTC. Aviation fixes/radials were resolved during earlier preprocessing where applicable.
External object dataset. The object layer used historical Space-Track/TLE-derived public LEO catalog objects element rows. The analytic mode for this case is historical public LEO catalog objects element propagation and same-launch/designator sky grouping.
Propagation. Orbital elements were propagated to the report minute and observer location. For launch-object checks, samples around the report minute were retained. For Starlink group checks, objects above the horizon were clustered by sky position and filtered for same-launch groupings.
Comparison. The output was compared against the report's count of lights, direction cue, motion language, altitude/radar language, and whether the file itself already suggested a satellite explanation.
Causation standard. Mere object presence above the horizon is treated as background context only. A normal-object disposition requires a case-specific causal fit, such as a named launch object, a compact same-launch trajectory group, or source language that directly supports that object class.
Disposition assignment.Identified means a specific normal object fits the report spacetime and the hard reported features do not materially conflict. Normal-object favored means a case-specific ordinary aerospace/orbital candidate exists, but it is not a full named identification. Insufficient means the file is too thin to carry high anomaly value. High-value unresolved is used when radar, video, rapid maneuver, or multi-witness features remain after reasonable normal-object checks.
5. External Object Evidence
5.1 Search Volume and Density
This table is a screening layer only. Objects above the horizon show background opportunity; they do not establish causation unless a specific object or compact trajectory group matches the reported behavior.
public LEO catalog objects catalog IDs considered
12724
Historical element rows
12724
Above horizon at report minute
755
At/above 10 deg
356
Largest same-sky cluster
354
No compact same-launch/designator group survived the report threshold. In this condition, satellite density remains context only and cannot by itself resolve a report with hard features.
5.2 Same-Launch / Same-Designator Candidate Groups
#
Launch Date
Count
Azimuth Span
Elevation Span
Motion Labels
Members
No same-launch group identified.
5.3 Primary Group Members
Object
NORAD
Launch
Az
El
Range km
Apparent Motion
Element Age h
No members available.
5.4 Bright-Sky Context: Top public LEO catalog objects Objects by Elevation
Space-Track SATCAT metadata was pulled as a cached subset for NORAD catalog IDs appearing in this packet's evidence tables. This section adds owner/type/status context to the propagated object candidates.
Packet SATCAT subset rows
5370
Fetched
2026-05-19T01:19:50+00:00
This case NORAD IDs checked
30
SATCAT rows matched
30
Top owners
CIS: 16, US: 9, PRC: 2, CZCH: 1, GLOB: 1, JPN: 1
Object types
DEBRIS: 20, PAYLOAD: 8, ROCKET BODY: 2
5.7 Space-Track Metadata for Top Propagated Objects
NORAD
Object Name
Type
Owner
Launch Date
Decay Date
37888
NIMBUS 2 DEB
DEBRIS
US
1966-05-15
n/a
39076
GLOBALSTAR M078
PAYLOAD
GLOB
2013-02-06
n/a
39676
COSMOS 1867 COOLANT
DEBRIS
CIS
1987-07-10
n/a
39647
COSMOS 1867 COOLANT
DEBRIS
CIS
1987-07-10
n/a
21291
DELTA 1 DEB
DEBRIS
US
1975-06-12
n/a
5211
COSMOS 412
PAYLOAD
CIS
1971-05-07
n/a
5922
TIROS 2 DEB *
DEBRIS
US
1960-11-23
n/a
21187
SL-8 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1991-02-12
n/a
37327
COSMOS 2251 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1993-06-16
2025-06-18
4751
THORAD AGENA D DEB
DEBRIS
US
1970-04-08
n/a
22840
SL-8 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1991-02-12
n/a
465
THOR ABLESTAR DEB
DEBRIS
US
1961-06-29
n/a
5.9 NASA / NOAA / ADS-B Expansion Layer
NASA POWER/Horizons/DONKI batch context had not yet been written for this case at packet build time.
Requires targeted extraction from large daily history archives before claiming aircraft exhaustion.
NOAA GOES imagery
not yet exhausted
Needed for cloud/lightning visual context.
NOAA GOES ABI/GLM manifest
screened/present
Public S3 object availability for the report hour.
NOAA NEXRAD weather radar
not yet exhausted
Weather radar only; not ATC radar.
NOAA IGRA radiosonde
screened/present
Needed for balloon drift plausibility.
ASOS/METAR weather observations
screened/present
Nearest station surface observations around report time.
ADSB.lol historical: extract aircraft traces from no public ADSB.lol annual repo found for 2018-06-05, then filter +/-60 min and 250 nmi around 42.9110,-82.5289.
NASA POWER/Horizons/DONKI: batch context for 237UAP00033 at 2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00.
NOAA GOES: pull nearest ABI/GLM products for the UTC hour and render cloud/lightning map.
NOAA NEXRAD: select nearest radar stations and render Level-II/III weather radar sweep around event time.
NOAA IGRA: find nearest radiosonde station launches bracketing the event and model wind drift for balloon-like descriptions.
Space-Track gp_history/decay: fetch exact historical element rows and decay/reentry status for top candidate NORAD IDs.
5.12 Weather, Imagery, and Balloon Query Plan
This plan identifies the concrete free sources needed for the next case-specific weather and balloon checks. These are not treated as completed exclusions until the data are downloaded and plotted.
surface visibility ranged 9-10 statute miles; no precipitation was reported in the retained observations; low/broken/overcast cloud layers were present in at least one observation. Surface ASOS/METAR observations describe airport-level weather and visibility; they do not by themselves prove conditions at the sighting altitude or line of sight.
Station
Distance km
Nearest obs UTC
Vis SM
Sky
Wind deg/kt
METAR
CYZR
20.40
2018-06-05T12:00:00+00:00
9.00
CLR, M, M, M
340.00 / 11.00
CYZR 051200Z AUTO 34011KT 9SM CLR 13/08 A2978 RMK SLP085 DENSITY ALT 700FT
Nearest sounding implies mean 0-12 km wind drift toward 253.5 deg at 9.89 m/s; a passive balloon could drift about 71.2 km in two hours under this crude layer-average model. Radiosonde winds are sparse station soundings; balloon drift remains approximate without launch time, ascent rate, object altitude, and exact line-of-sight bearing.
Station
Name
Distance km
Sounding UTC
Mean drift bearing
Mean speed m/s
2h drift km
Max wind
USM00072632
WHITE LAKE; MI.
80.40
2018-06-05T12:00:00+00:00
253.50
9.89
71.20
35.90 at 17250.00 m
5.17 NOAA GOES ABI/GLM Public File Manifest
GOES public S3 objects are listed for the report hour where available. This is an availability manifest, not yet a rendered satellite image.
Generated figure copied from the local evidence-plot output. It is included as an analytic visualization, not as original sensor imagery.
7. Analytic Comparison
Criterion
Report Evidence
Analytic Treatment
Time constraint
2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00
Directly used in propagation; this is a hard filter, not descriptive context.
Location constraint
42.91100, -82.52890
Directly used as observer point for azimuth/elevation/range computation.
Count / pattern
multiple-object/light language present
No compact same-launch count match; retained for unresolved report features.
Motion language
not explicit
Reported motion remains only partly explained; this is a principal reason for high-value unresolved status.
Radar / official check
not specified
Radar or hard maneuvering language is treated as a conflict/collection gap, not hand-waved away.
Analytic disposition
unresolved
237UAP00033 was screened against historical public LEO catalog objects orbital elements at the extracted time and observer coordinate. The screen did not produce enough mundane evidence to close the case under the normal-object favored standard. Hard features retained for follow-up: multiple witnesses/facilities.
8. Caveats, Limitations, and Collection Gaps
No raw cockpit video, ATC replay, radar plot, or witness interview transcript was reviewed unless explicitly stated in the public source text.
Aviation-derived coordinates can represent a nearby fix/radial or report point, not necessarily the actual line-of-sight intercept point.
Starlink visibility depends on illumination, observer altitude, atmospheric conditions, and apparent brightness; this analysis tests geometry, not photometry. No brightness model is used unless explicitly stated elsewhere in the case file.
TLE propagation is appropriate for screening and reconstruction but is not a substitute for authoritative operational ephemerides.
When many satellites are above the horizon, generic presence is weak evidence and is not treated as causation. The report emphasizes named launch-object checks or compact same-launch trajectory groups.
This case is retained as high-value unresolved because the hardest reported behavior is not resolved by the current normal-object layers.
Appendix A. Public Report Text Extracts
237UAP00033
SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT
PRIMARY CODE: OTHER
Date: 11:32 06/05/2018 Paged: NO
Status: Closed
POD: DEN
Reporting Facility: ZAB
REMARKS
ZAB reports multiple ACFT reporting possible UFO sighting in VCNTY of PHN (Amarillo, TX) from 0440-0440. ACFT were
NW bound from DFW area. HQ DEN contacted NORAD who reports no known activity. 0525 ZAB reports internet search
revealed NASA website indicating the Space Station would be visible from that vicinity and in that time frame. ZAB OMIC is
logging the event in the daily record.
SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT | DATE: 2018-06-05T11:32 | POD: DEN | PAGE 1 of 1
Appendix B. Computational Evidence Digest
This appendix preserves the principal computed values used in the assessment, shortened to the fields most relevant to audit and review.
This checklist records which source layers were actually applied to this individual report. It separates checked evidence from unexhausted collection gaps so the disposition is auditable when the PDF is read alone.
Source Layer
Status
Case-Specific Note
NARA public UAP/FAA report
reviewed
Source IDs: 237UAP00033
Time and observer coordinate
extracted
2018-06-05T11:32:00+00:00 at 42.91100, -82.52890
Orbital object propagation
screened
public LEO catalog objects
Space-Track SATCAT metadata
screened
30 NORAD IDs checked; 30 matched in local SATCAT subset
Launch-object/SupGP layer
not applicable
not a launch-object case
NASA/JPL known small-body layer
not selected
CAD/Horizons secondary screen included when this case had NEO-relevant timing/geometry
NASA POWER/Horizons/DONKI context
not exhausted
Hourly weather, sky geometry, and space-weather context where local JSON is present
Aircraft/ADS-B layer
not exhausted
ADSB.lol historical release pattern is recorded separately; actual aircraft exhaustion requires targeted trace extraction
NOAA GOES imagery layer
not exhausted
Cloud/lightning imagery layer for the report hour
NOAA GOES ABI/GLM manifest
screened
Public S3 object listing for the report hour
NOAA/NEXRAD weather radar layer
not exhausted
Weather radar only; not ATC/primary radar
NOAA IGRA radiosonde layer
screened
Balloon drift plausibility layer
ASOS/METAR surface weather
screened
Nearest station visibility, cloud, wind, precipitation, and METAR observations
Weather/balloon source plan
planned
Nearest weather-airport, GOES, and radiosonde queries are listed where local plan JSON is present
Final analytic disposition
high-value unresolved
Presence-only satellite density is context only; a stronger case-specific fit is required for normal-object disposition
References and Source Links
National Archives and Records Administration. Records Related to Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) at the National Archives.https://www.archives.gov/research/topics/uaps
National Archives Catalog. Records from the Federal Aviation Administration Relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, National Archives Identifier 493468575.https://catalog.archives.gov/id/493468575
Space-Track.org. Public source for the underlying U.S. Space Surveillance Network TLE distribution referenced by the historical TLE archive.https://www.space-track.org/