U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett missing: reports
Updated Tue. Sep. 4 2007 2:59 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett is missing, according to reports.

The Associated Press reports that the 63-year-old, who holds landspeed and aviation flight records, was aboard a plane that has been missing since Monday night.

Fossett, of Beaver Creek, Colo., was last seen Monday at 8:45 a.m. at a ranch south of Smith Valley in western Nevada, taking off in the single-engine Bellanca plane.

A friend reported him missing when he didn't return as scheduled.

The U.S. Civil Air Patrol is searching for Fossett, Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Ian Gregor told AP.

He said one challenge facing searchers is that it appears Fossett didn't file a flight plan.

"They are working on some leads, but they don't know where he is right now," Gregor said.

The search is being co-ordinated by the U.S. Air force's Rescue Coordination Center in Langley, Va. according to AP.

Fossett is best known for setting five world records for non-stop circumnavigations of the globe. He achieved the records using balloons, airplanes, gliders and sailboats.

Following are some of Fossett's aviation accomplishments:

1998/2002: Long distance record for solo ballooning
2001/2002: Duration record for solo ballooning
2002: First solo balloon flight around the world
2005: First solo nonstop and non-refueled circumnavigation of the world in a single engine jet airplane
2002: Aviation's highest award: the Gold Medal of the Federation Aeronatutique Internationale
2004: fastest sailing circumnavigation of the world
Ten of 21 Glider Open reports
Fossett's 2002 ballooning record came after five previous unsuccessful attempts. In the record-setting flight, he flew 31,265 kilometres around the Southern Hemisphere in two weeks.


He was inducted into the U.S. National Hall of Fame in July.

Additional Details from AVWEB:

He took off from Hilton's Ranch airstrip (Flying M) in a Blue and White Decathlon...

For any of you flying in the area, Steve was scouting lake beds that might accomodate a land speed record attempt he was considering...

The most likely scenario is that he landed at Burning Man and fell under the spell of some dirty bohemian honeys who are keeping him prisoner in their harem-theme camp....

dirty bohemian honeys

you'd think that would show up as a big IDENT on the radar tapes

CAVU

Looks like the search effort will involve some pretty heavy duty equipment and personel. Reports are they are utilizing Blackhawks and C-130's from the National Guard as well as infared technology.

Too bad he didn't opt for one of the 406 plb's. That might have saved a couple of bucks in the rescue effort, assuming he survived the landing. No ELT has been detected yet from what I have read.

Mark

jmtgt wrote:
I wonder if they would do that for one of us?

Not a chance,,, matter of fact I'd bet they'd find out we were Maule drivers and figure we got what we deserved and should have to walk out, just to teach us a lesson.

BTW, what the heck are they going to do with 200 troops ???

zane wrote:The most likely scenario is that he landed at Burning Man and fell under the spell of some dirty bohemian honeys who are keeping him prisoner in their harem-theme camp....

Um, you wouldn't happen to have coordinates for that would you Zane?

Phil

zane wrote:The most likely scenario is that he landed at Burning Man and fell under the spell of some dirty bohemian honeys who are keeping him prisoner in their harem-theme camp....

Sometimes Zane's imagination really scares me...

I read that he owns a Breitling ELT watch. I don't know if it's 121.5 or 406. The Breitling site doesn't say anything about the frequency. If it hasn't been heard from and they didn't find it left behind, that's not a good sign.

Anyway, defense radar can probably track bees on the ground throughout that whole area. I'll be surprised if there isn't a radar track that no one is talking about. I hope he turns up soon.

CAVU

I believe that the watch is the old 121.5, especially where the 406 is fairly new. I don't think they have incorporated it into their watches. But I could be wrong.

I agree, it doesn't look promising. On the flip side, think about how much smaller the search area would be if the aircraft had the 406 and it had been activated.

Grassstrippilot wrote:I believe that the watch is the old 121.5, especially where the 406 is fairly new. I don't think they have incorporated it into their watches. But I could be wrong.

I agree, it doesn't look promising. On the flip side, think about how much smaller the search area would be if the aircraft had the 406 and it had been activated.

Maybe if he had one of these ???

jmtgt wrote:

N6EA wrote:
BTW, what the heck are they going to do with 200 troops ???

Ground pounding! Keep in mind it was the Media that reported that number.

Yeah but,,, What do you do, walk to the end of the runway at the Flying M and say, "OK head that direction" ? I'm just not sure how you decide where to deploy 200 troops...

jmtgt wrote:

N6EA wrote:
BTW, what the heck are they going to do with 200 troops ???

Ground pounding! Keep in mind it was the Media that reported that number.

Well, 100 or them are probably answering the phones and taking statements from everyone who saw any aircraft that day.

Phil

I bought an ACR microfix a couple of months ago myself. One question I have not completely settled in my mind is whether to deploy the antenna and activate the beacon before touchdown/impact in a forced landing situation. On balance, it seems like activating it in advance is the right thing to do. It hopefully will turn out to have been unnecessary, but I can deal with that.

CAVU

CAVU wrote:I bought an ACR microfix a couple of months ago myself. One question I have not completely settled in my mind is whether to deploy the antenna and activate the beacon before touchdown/impact in a forced landing situation. On balance, it seems like activating it in advance is the right thing to do. It hopefully will turn out to have been unnecessary, but I can deal with that.

CAVU

I think your right.

I'm adding to my forced landing checklist. Unless I decide on a mall parking lot or the like, where the outcome will likely be pretty well broadcast for the authorities...

a mall parking lot

A whut-did-you-just say? Just don't park in a handicap spot.

CAVU

N6EA wrote:

zane wrote:The most likely scenario is that he landed at Burning Man and fell under the spell of some dirty bohemian honeys who are keeping him prisoner in their harem-theme camp....

Sometimes Zane's imagination really scares me...

Now that so much time has passed, i can't help but think he's prob passed out on the floor of the Green Tortoise, halfway to Eugene, OR. If they do find that fancy Breitling watch, it'll prob be on the arm of a hippie who got it in trade for some Ecstasy.

CAVU wrote:I bought an ACR microfix a couple of months ago myself. One question I have not completely settled in my mind is whether to deploy the antenna and activate the beacon before touchdown/impact in a forced landing situation. On balance, it seems like activating it in advance is the right thing to do. It hopefully will turn out to have been unnecessary, but I can deal with that.

CAVU

Yeah, one of these is on my Christmas list.

Just to be the devil's advocate and because I think this is an interesting dilemma, what if the antenna is damaged in the crash? If I remember right from Rob Hunter's presentation on it, it takes around 10 minutes for it to acquire it's position once activated, so, for most of us, we are going to be on the ground before that happens. I guess if you have a protected spot to place it so that the antenna won't get snapped off during impact and keep the unit from being an airborne ballistic skull cracker.

Then there is the question of whether or not the unit will acquire a signal while inside of an aircraft. I know some handheld GPSs that I have used needed the external antenna suction-cupped to the window before it will acquire enough satellites to establish its location. If this is the case with the ACR, then there isn't much advantage unless you are knocked out on impact, the antenna survives, it acquires satellites and establishes its location, and then help is on the way.

Now talk amongst yer'selves. Regardless, a great item to have with you and I can't wait to add it to my survival gear.

sector15 wrote:For any of you flying in the area, Steve was scouting lake beds that might accomodate a land speed record attempt he was considering...

I didn't know about him being missing until I was having beers in Bridgeport on Tuesday and saw it on CNN, but I was out on my four wheeler all day Monday all around the south edge of Flying M property and between Hawthorne and Bodie...

Wind was howling, I'm guessing gusting to 50 on the ridge tops, and it looked like a really nasty day to be flying anywhere. Never heard an airplane except for a high flying jet or two, and saw no smoke.

Been cool to find him walking down the road needing a ride back to Flying M. Maybe Paris Hilton was there and she coulda got me a beer or something.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:Been cool to find him walking down the road needing a ride back to Flying M. Maybe Paris Hilton was there and she coulda got me a beer or something.

Gump

Geez, Zane's vivid imagination appears to have infected Brother Gump also...