NUFORC Sighting 03945

Occurred: 1998-09-10 07:15 Local
Reported: 1998-09-24 00:00 Pacific
Duration: Approx. 10-15 sec.
No of observers: 20

Location: Oceanside, CA, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Left a trail, Changed Colo

Bright, fire-like object streaked from west to east in a level, horizonal attitude at a speed that took approximately 10 seconds to cover the sky from west to east before disappearing into some low cumulus clouds.

At approximately 7:15 p.m. on Sept. 10, 1998, a group of Oceanside Chamber of Commerce members were just concluding a sundowner mixer when this object was observed. Appropriately enough, we were out at the Oceanside Municipal Airport and there were about 20 or so adults, including a couple of elected city councilmembers, standing around chatting, getting ready to leave the venue when I spotted what I thought at first was a cheap skyrocket. I thought this because of the sparks and firey trail coming out from behind. The object was moving at a high rate of speed, but maintaining a level flight in a direct westerly to east path. I had enough time to realize that this was not a meteor or a skyrocket and something unusual. I shouted to everyone, pointing up to the sky. Everyone was able to watch this object travel east into a bank of light clouds. It didn't look that high, but the next day I read in the San Diego Union that the same object had been observed by people as far away as north of Los Angeles. What makes me write this report nearly three weeks after the fact was hearing Peter on Art Bell's program tonight (09/24/98). At approximately 10:15 p.m., Peter played a tape recording of a woman reporting this exact same object that she saw as she traveled on State Highway 18 toward Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains. She claimed it flew directly over her...she said it was at 7:15 p.m. This definitely was not a meteor, as most so-called officials have explained. I am a 30-year veteran of journalism, a daily columnist for the North County Times, (circulation 96,000), which covers northern San Diego County. This makes the second time I have observed a UFO in the presence of community leaders. I've written about it both times and have received phone calls from readers acknowledging what I saw.

Posted 1998-09-26