Where is Steve Fosset??

[Louie Louie]

I know this is off topic, but the news reports from Minden remind me of Westoc a couple years ago. I remember the area as more alpine than desert. Where exactly is this search taking place. What are your thoughts on this mystery??

[Gonzo]

I find it a bit odd that an adventurer such as he would go out at any time less his cel phone and/or his satellite phone, or even yet, a personal GPS locator beacon.

I think he hit some wild wind shear or equivalent, and crashed in some ravine where he's almost invisible.

I seriously doubt he had a plan to vanish or something.

gonzo

[Mark]

I know this is off topic, but the news reports from Minden remind me of Westoc a couple years ago. I remember the area as more alpine than desert. Where exactly is this search taking place. What are your thoughts on this mystery??

If you go East of Minden you're in to desert mountains due to the orographic graphic effect of the Sierras.

Mark

[Trekker]

According to news reports I've read, he did have a beacon on the plane and a wrist beacon too.

[scootac]

Maybe for whatever reason, hiding out with Ken Lay???
But seriously, I hope Fossett is OK, but after this long, not looking likely.


George

[BigTom]

According to a buddy who knows "A remarkably failure prone (insert brand) locator beacon on the Citabria. Some of them didn't survive their first landing."

I was hoping he'd walk out, but it doesn't look good at this point. The Citabria is a pretty darn good airplane to crash in, under normal circumstance.

[dmulk]

The Citabria is a pretty darn good airplane to crash in, under normal circumstance.


A crash during "Normal circumstances"? :rolleyes:


<D>

[Coop]

Restroom in the Minneapolis airport?

[MileHigh]

Restroom in the Minneapolis airport?

Or, cell mate with OJ. :eek:

[Coop]

OJ. :eek:

Karma just might exist after all. LOL!!

[mjhenne]

The Enterprise came back via a time portal, Captain Kirk inadvertantly destroyed the plane during a probe and beamed Steve aboard at the last second. Steve is now happily in the future and double dating alien chicks with Kirk.

I hope...

[rickj]

I don't know what was going in in Steve Fosset's personal life, but is it possible that he wanted to disappear? It reminds me of my hang gliding flight instructor and friend Howard Mitchell (back in the mid 70s.) This man had been a Navy jet pilot, held many world's records in hang gliders, was flying ultralights and experimentals, etc. He was by far the best pilot I knew.

One day in the mid to late 90s the news reported that Howard had "crashed" his Cessna in the ocean right off the gliderport at Torrey Pines and died. I doubted that it was an accident as reported. Shortly after that I found out that he had terminal cancer and had been very ill. It's clear to me that he had chosen to take his life at a place where he had enjoyed countless hours soaring his hang gliders and being with his friends, while doing something that he loved.

Rick

[maldos]

DEAD............................

[Sink]

I saw him walking down the street yesterday... in Lincoln... with Elvis:wink:

[tkresler]

There are a bunch of conspiracy theorists that are talking about this. Some people think he's holed up with a baby nuke and is getting ready to drop it down the San Andreas fault. It's time to say bye bye to LA. Others are saying he's purposely hiding so that the Fed's can look for a missing nuke in the desert.

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread301561/pg1

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=109306

I say it's a beautiful day outside, and I need to go for a ride and stop worrying about this.

Tim

[Sink]

WOW! Glad I don't live in California!

[MileHigh]

There are a bunch of conspiracy theorists that are talking about this. Some people think he's holed up with a baby nuke and is getting ready to drop it down the San Andreas fault. It's time to say bye bye to LA. Others are saying he's purposely hiding so that the Fed's can look for a missing nuke in the desert. Tim

COOL! Ocean front property as close as Arizona!

[George]

Even if the Colorado River becomes the new west coast, I'm too far east to expect any increase in property values (about 40 miles.) :D

[MileHigh]

Even if the Colorado River becomes the new west coast, I'm too far east to expect any increase in property values (about 40 miles.) :D

Still, would be kinda nice to only need a tank of gas to go dip your feet in the Pacific. Strap a clam shovel to the side of the bike, bring a Styrofoam cooler with some ice, inside the pannier for the ride back. Mmmmm good eatin that night! :)

[George]

I'm on an ST. I can make it to the Pacific on one tank of gas. :D

[Don-STOC237]

All you have to do to realize why they haven't found this guy yet, is to look out at the Sierra Nevada and Sweetwater ranges as you're coming down US395 from Double Springs toward Topaz Lake. The mountains seem to stretch endlessly in the distance, and each mountain has hundreds of small ravines and canyons built into it.

You can't imagine the number of places for a small plane to be lost or crashed out here and never be seen again.

BTW, they called off the search for him today.

[George]

On the plus side, they've found 5 or 6 previously lost crash sites. Some old mysteries are being solved.

[STBNE]

Even if the Colorado River becomes the new west coast, I'm too far east to expect any increase in property values (about 40 miles.) :D
"Day after day more ppl come to LA shhhhh dont ya tell anybody but the whole place is shakin away...Where can we go when theres no SanFrancisco?I dont know :eek: but you better get ready to dock your boat in Idaho"

[ChipSTer]

My theory is that he put the plane on auto-pilot (while he was looking out the windows - he was looking for something after all) and either fell asleep or had a heart attack and the plane continued on auto-pilot to somewhere out over the pacific ocean where it ran out of gas and crashed... But what do I know about it? :confused:
:cool:

[Fred]

I would be very surprised if the plane he was flying had autopilot. It is built mainly for beginner aerobatics and reduced cost and light weight are primary factors. Autopilot even if it could be configured for this plane would not be installed

[LeeWonnacott]

A Decathlon isn't equipped with even a wing leveler (single axis a/p) ... It's a tube and fabric aircraft and pretty stout unless you take it through the treetops.

Remember, Steve was looking for a place to mount an assault on the land speed record at Mach 1+ .... The topography between Barron Hilton's place and the lake beds is rough... if the search hasn't found him by now it's unlikely they will find him anytime soon.

Ironic that just a few weeks ago he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame, his opening remarks were, "I'm not done breaking records yet!" ... He was a VERY determined and thorough pilot.

[Louie Louie]

I saw on CNN they found some of his belongings at Mammoth. Anyone know more about this find? How far from Minden, NV??

Louis

[Putt]

Here ya go Louie...
http://bittenandbound.com/2008/10/01/steve-fossett-mammoth-lakes-hikers-find-personal-items/


Putt...

[ChipSTer]

...How far from Minden, NV??
Louis
About 100 miles (as the crow flies) approximately... Easy trip in a plane...
:cool:

[LeeWonnacott]

From a SAR standpoint this is good news. Prior search efforts had no beginning datum and this at least puts one solid point on the map. Now the task is to try to figure out if;

1. his wallet fell from his clothing during the crash which may indicate an in-flight failure
2. his wallet fell from his clothing as he was trying to hike out from the crash site or
3. predators have scattered what was left of him and the contents of the wallet are just horrific debris

I'm betting on number three. Any in-flight failure would have created some sort of debris trail in the forest canopy that probably would have been noticed. Likewise a survivable crash would have left enough of the aircraft (Hopefully) intact that the ELT would have activated. I've been to several crash sites in remote and mountainous areas. After a few months it's difficult to accept that snow, water run off, and critters could do much to scatter heavy aircraft parts.. but they do.

Whichever the case may be, it's obvious to me that Steve is gone. He was quite a true character and I think he would have fit in well with Wiley Post, A.C. Read, Elmer Stone, and the other aviators of pioneer era that flew just to prove goals could be met.

[Louie Louie]

Don, Pretty good call!


Louis