Found were a “weathered” sweat shirt, cash and a pilot’s license with Fossett’s name on it, according to a report on CNN. US Federal Aviation Administration pilot’s licenses do not include a photo.
Given the aircraft’s 147mph cruise speed, the location would have been within the distance Fossett would have been expected to cover given that his flight was to be 2 to 2.5h in duration. Searchers initially believed Fossett had gone down within a 50mi radius of the ranch.
See more here
So they've found his belongings but no remains or aircraft wreckage? I guess this is more fuel on the fire for the conspiracy theorists...
My wings are like a shield of steel.
Teams searching for missing adventurer Steve Fossett have spotted what looks like the wreckage of a plane in eastern California, local police say.
An aerial spotter made the discovery late on Wednesday, and teams are going to the area to investigate, a Madera County Sheriff's spokeswoman said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7647732.stm
This mystery seems to be coming clearer, i wonder if they will find his body though!
AirSpace - more than just hot air
NTSB press release -
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to California to investigate the crash of a small plane that was found yesterday that appears to be the aircraft piloted by adventurer Steve Fossett. The Bellanca 8KCAB (N240R) has been missing since September 3, 2007, when the pilot departed Yerington, Nevada for a local flight. The wreckage was located at about 10,000 feet of elevation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the vicinity of Mammoth Lakes, California. Senior Investigator Georgia Struhsaker has been designated Investigator-in-Charge for this accident. She will be assisted by two other NTSB investigators and by the Federal Aviation Administration. NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker is accompanying the team and will serve as principal spokesman for the on-scene investigation. Terry Williams is the press officer traveling with the team.
From a BBC news alert -
Search teams in California have found the small plane in which adventurer Steve Fossett went missing a year ago, local police say.
It seems that human remains have been found in the wreckage. I have to wonder what SKY News are thinking with the rather undignified headline 'Body parts found in Fossett plane'.
The NTSB have released a "Factual report" on the fatal light aircraft accident involving Steve Fossett. Analysis of the crash site found:
Analysis of the Super Decathlon's wreckage showed that the engine, a normally aspirated four-cylinder Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A, was developing power at impact with the mountain, which it hit at a level about 300ft (90m) below a 13,000ft ridge. The impact smashed the aircraft badly and caused an extensive fire, but all the control surfaces were present at the site.
Weather conditions were also supposed to be perfect for flying, which leaves a big question mark over what actually happened to him.Why was his body so far away from the actual crash site? Did he jump out of the aircraft as it was going down?
"The factual report observes that if there was a downdraft over the ridge near the crash site it was likely to have been flowing at, or in excess of, 300ft/min vertical speed, which would have at least equalled - and possibly exceeded - the Bellanca's maximum power climb rate at that altitude and ambient temperature."
i.e., If he got too close and still thought he could make it over the ridge, he was wrong...
Jumping out is not credible. Being thrown clear is possible (his straps weren't fastened), but we shall have to wait for the final report for any skeletal forensics.