Los Angeles 'mystery missile' contrail

When

A KCBS news helicopter filmed a billowing trail rising over the Pacific northwest of Catalina Island that many viewers took for a missile launch. The Pentagon first called it unexplained, then said it was most likely an airplane contrail distorted by camera angle and the setting sun.

Sources

  1. PressPentagon Can't Explain 'Missile' Off California Coast (opens in a new tab)CBS San Francisco (KPIX) / 2010-11-09
  2. PressPentagon: 'Mystery Missile' Contrail Was Probably Airplane (opens in a new tab)CBS Los Angeles (Associated Press) / 2010-11-10
  3. PressPentagon, NASA experts say mystery plume was plane (opens in a new tab)The Herald, Everett (Associated Press) / 2010-11-11

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