Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Sheriff: Plane Wreckage Found in California Is Steve Fossett's
Fox40 News ^ | 10-02-2008

Posted on 10/02/2008 7:19:11 AM PDT by Dan Cooper

Summary of press conference by Mammoth Lakes Sheriff:

Aircraft crash site found near Mammoth Lakes, CA. NTSB Confirms that the N number of the aircraft matches the missing adventurer's plane. Wreckage found about 1/4 mile from the location where Fossett's ID and other items where found. No remains were found in the aircraft. The aircraft appeared to a flown into the side of a hill.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: California; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: fossett; planecrash; stevefossett
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-48 next last
Sheriff said that more searchers are being deployed to search for remains.
1 posted on 10/02/2008 7:19:12 AM PDT by Dan Cooper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Dan Cooper

Other psssessions 1/4 mile away... suggests he may have survived crash and tried to seek help. Bears and mountain lions up that way, I’ve read.


2 posted on 10/02/2008 7:24:33 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

Controlled flight into terrain.


3 posted on 10/02/2008 7:27:57 AM PDT by shankbear (Al-Qaeda grew while Monica blew)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Dan Cooper
The aircraft appeared to a flown into the side of a hill.

It sure wasn't the side of a hill, it was a mountain. The crash site is at the 10,000 foot level and it is starting to cloud up here now, calling for snow down to 8,000 feet by Saturday making recovery efforts difficult.

4 posted on 10/02/2008 7:30:13 AM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shankbear

I expect they’ll recover any remains within a few days...
sad way to go, but Adventurous.


5 posted on 10/02/2008 7:30:47 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Dan Cooper

At least he went out doing something he loved.


6 posted on 10/02/2008 7:32:19 AM PDT by BGHater (Democracy is the road to socialism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono
Used to spent much time up that way....

Sister and BIL lived in Bishop for many years....

Nice part of Calif.....

7 posted on 10/02/2008 7:34:21 AM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: theDentist
Other psssessions 1/4 mile away... suggests he may have survived crash and tried to seek help. Bears and mountain lions up that way, I’ve read.

The Sheriff said animals were a possibility, though I would have though that some evidence of a body would be found. He also said that the crash did not look survivable.

8 posted on 10/02/2008 7:34:29 AM PDT by Dan Cooper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: shankbear
" Controlled flight into terrain. "
Read Mr Fosset was heavily in debt
9 posted on 10/02/2008 7:34:43 AM PDT by Harold Shea (RVN `70 - `71)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

Fairly far from the area that was searched before. I wonder if he was sight seeing, or lost.


10 posted on 10/02/2008 7:39:17 AM PDT by Dan Cooper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Dan Cooper

Well, when you don’t file a flight plan...

I wonder if the cash/id was 1/4 mile from crash site vertically, or horizontally... I mean, could he have fallen there from ipact, or crawled/walked...?


11 posted on 10/02/2008 7:44:55 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

More lions than bears. But even a rodent could of drug the wallet and shirt off form the wreck. My guess is they may never finds the bones sparking the “faked his death” thing all again.


12 posted on 10/02/2008 7:50:18 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Never mess with an old man, he will just kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

Other psssessions 1/4 mile away... suggests he may have survived crash and tried to seek help. Bears and mountain lions up that way, I’ve read

Or he died in the crash and scavengers scattered his remains. Coyotes ar much more abundant.


13 posted on 10/02/2008 7:52:31 AM PDT by BobinIL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: shankbear

Well, does a controlled flight indicate “suicide”, an inability to see the mountain (heavy fog/weather) or “auto pilot” (if that plane had it)?

I guess we’ll have to hear more. Will local weather stations have conditions online for that date?


14 posted on 10/02/2008 7:55:39 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Osage Orange

Thanks. I like it here!


15 posted on 10/02/2008 7:55:58 AM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: theDentist
I guess we’ll have to hear more. Will local weather stations have conditions online for that date?

Sadly no, but I remember when he disapeared the skies were mostly clear, with light winds, around Mammoth area.

16 posted on 10/02/2008 7:59:18 AM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

They’ll be able to go back and dig up whatever the weather conditions were from reporting stations near the crash site, if there are any. Usually it’s either an automated reporting station, or the nearest airport, so it may be some distance away.

“Controlled flight into terrain” is a catch-all for any situation where the airplane was still under the control of the crew (autopilot or otherwise) and flew into the ground. It can mean any or all the things you listed, and then some.

The plane was a Bellanca (now American Champion) Decathlon, a two-seater light utility/aerobatic aircraft. I don’t know how old it was, but it probably did not have an autopilot. That’s just a guess though.

}:-)4


17 posted on 10/02/2008 7:59:46 AM PDT by Moose4 (http://moosedroppings.wordpress.com -- Because 20 million self-important blogs just aren't enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Dan Cooper
.Mineret Lake Sierra Nevada @10,000 ft level near crash site.
18 posted on 10/02/2008 8:01:20 AM PDT by Donald Rumsfeld Fan (Sarah Palin "The Iron Lady from the North")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: theDentist

It’s pretty common to wear a chute in acrobatic aircraft although I’ve never heard that he had one with him the day of the flight. If he was just scouting/sight seeing he might not have bothered. Don’t know how steep it is at the crash site, has anyone heard the exact coordinates?


19 posted on 10/02/2008 8:01:55 AM PDT by Dan Cooper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Donald Rumsfeld Fan
Looking due west at the Minerets from a dirt trail at 10,000 feet near Mammoth Lakes. The backcountry of Yosemite Park starts at the boundry of the high peaks.:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

20 posted on 10/02/2008 8:09:31 AM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-48 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson