Lites over head cut car lights and motor off.

First, my dad was working nites at Edwards on our first guided missles, as was our neighbor. Around 8 or 9 oclock, both of our families were just returning from the dairy queen in town in our new '58 chevy nomad, as mom was pulling up in the drive way she said look at the lite in the sky . 
When it got over us the lites on our car went out, the motor shut off. I got out and saw a light directly over head. After it passed the lites came on and mom started the car. We lived a few miles out of town in a new developement in the desert.
Witness indicates that the date of the incident is approximate.  PD