The laser fluorescence excitation spectrum of the origin band of an electronic transition in the CH2CFO radical was recorded with partial rotational resolution using a supersonic, rotationally cold beam. The radical was prepared in a pulsed free jet by 193 nm photolysis of acetyl fluoride diluted in helium or argon. The rotational structure of the band is consistent with an in-plane electronic transition of this near oblate rotor. In analogy with the vinery radical, this transition is designated as (B) over tilde(2)A''-(X) over tilde(2)A''. Spectroscopic constants were derived from a fit to the assigned rotational transitions. The lower state rotational constants agree with those calculated from an ab initio CH2CFO equilibrium structure [M. Furubayashi, I. Bridier, S. Inomata, N. Washida, and K. Yamashita, J. Chem. Phys. 106, 6302 (1997)]. The present study thus provides confirmation of the assignment of the molecular carrier as CH2CFO and eliminates the alternative assignment to FCO [B. A. Williams and J. W. Fleming, J. Chem. Phys. 106, 4376 (1997)]. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(97)01547-X].