Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Grab your bear can or camp chair, kick your feet up and chew the fat about anything Sierra Nevada related that doesn't quite fit in any of the other forums. Within reason, (and the HST rules and guidelines) this is also an anything goes forum. Tell stories, discuss wilderness issues, music, or whatever else the High Sierra stirs up in your mind.
User avatar
packmule
Topix Regular
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 11:44 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Dayton, NV

Re: Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Post by packmule »

The Discovery Channel aired the documentary on 12/1 called Steve Fossett: What Went Wrong? My father in law told me about it. They said there was evidence he survived and tried to hike out. I am sure Discovery will air it again so if any knows any times could you let me know!
Shawn
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1061
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:56 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Post by Shawn »

I watched the show and was hoping for a bit more. It was generally interesting, but certain parts were rather lame (e.g. if his engine quit the plane would simply nose down vertically into the earth).

No evidence was shown about him trying to make his way out - just stretching the issue about a harness buckle that wasn't found where they expected to find it.

Not much in the way of new information. Mostly I was just hoping to catch some good views of the Minarets - but those were brief. :rolleyes:


SIgh
User avatar
JMat
Topix Regular
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Reno, NV

Re: Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Post by JMat »

I tivo'd that show and actually watched it last night and it's like Shawn said. A lot of conjecture about how bears don't drag stuff very far and how no animal would have been able to undo his harness.
The truth is... He hit the ground hard and fast and parts of the plane were scattered of a pretty big distance, not to mention the fire afterward. My guess is he didn't survive.

JMat
User avatar
packmule
Topix Regular
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 11:44 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Dayton, NV

Re: Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Post by packmule »

Yeah that what my F-I-L said. The buckel has to be twisted in order to be released. Instresting! Also what I thoght was instresting was that they had a few thousand people searching grids on goggle earth for wreckage. They sure look at all the angles.
User avatar
ERIC
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Posts: 3254
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:13 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: between the 916 and 661

Witness saw Fossett plane fight strong winds

Post by ERIC »

NTSB: Witness saw Fossett plane fight strong winds

By TRACIE CONE, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, March 5, 2009


A man who believes he saw Steve Fossett's plane moments before it slammed into a mountain said headwinds were so strong that day that the plane appeared to be "standing still," according to a federal report released Thursday.

The report by the National Transportation Safety Board said the unidentified camper and his companions watched the plane struggle at an altitude of about 11,500 feet as strong winds blew out of the southwest.

"It looked like it was standing still due to the wind," the report said.

Fossett, 63, disappeared in September 2007 after taking off from a Nevada ranch owned by hotel magnate Barron Hilton for what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight. Wreckage of the plane and some of the Fossett's belongings were discovered in October 2008 by a hiker in the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes.

The report, which did not include a cause of the crash, said Fossett died on impact of multiple traumatic injuries. DNA tests conducted on two large bones found near the crash site positively identified the remains of the millionaire aviator.

Investigators previously said the 10,000-foot peaks near the spot where Fossett crashed were shrouded in clouds that day. Searchers speculated that the Sierra's notorious downdrafts, combined with a loss of power at high altitude, might have made it difficult for Fossett to clear the mountain.

Downdrafts were recorded at between 300 and 400 feet per minute, and the NTSB cited reports from Mammoth Yosemite Airport that the wind was blowing nearly 23 mph at 12,300 feet, with gusts up to 54 mph around the time of the accident.

A pilot who flew over Yosemite National Park around that time also said his ride was interrupted by "random rough chop," according to the NTSB.

The report said radar tracking, which was initially discounted, most likely showed the plane's final path. It also said the emergency release handle for the pilot's door, with the locking pin still in place, was found among the wreckage.

The report said Fossett told the ranch's chief pilot that he intended to fly along Highway 395 and that he did not wear a parachute, which would have been required. It said Fossett's plane had mechanical problems that were fixed after a rough landing and contact with a barbed wire fence two months earlier, and that mechanics had installed a new propeller and logged nearly a dozen hours before Fossett's fatal flight.

Fossett, who made a fortune in the Chicago commodities market, gained worldwide fame for setting records in high-tech balloons, gliders, jets and boats. In 2002, he became the first person to circle the world solo in a balloon.
New members, please consider giving us an intro!
Follow us on Twitter @HighSierraTopix. Use hashtags #SIERRAPHILE #GotSierra? #GotMountains?
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighSierraTopix
User avatar
ERIC
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Posts: 3254
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:13 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: between the 916 and 661

Re: Steve Fossett's plane found near Mammoth Lakes ?

Post by ERIC »

The Other Tom wrote:Eric,
I'm not sure about Laurie Lee's post
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3405" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seems simple enough, but...
why post this on the Steve Fossett thread ? Ok, she's a newbie, so maybe that's ok.
There are no openings at the HSC.

I started to answer her but then I thought she may be a spammer trying to get her post count up. Or maybe I'm anal. anyway....
The post was SPAM. Sneaky. I ran a check on the registered email address and learned the poster's true intentions. They would have followed up by either later changing their profile to include SPAM links, or would have edited the post in this thread down the road to include SPAM links.

Good eye, Tom.
New members, please consider giving us an intro!
Follow us on Twitter @HighSierraTopix. Use hashtags #SIERRAPHILE #GotSierra? #GotMountains?
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighSierraTopix
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 49 guests