Snow halts Fossett crash site work
Posted on 05 October 2008 by Jack
MAMMOTH LAKES, California (AP) — California officials say recovery efforts around the site of adventurer Steve Fossett’s downed plane may not resume until summer.
Snowfall ended the search in the Sierra Nevada on Friday. Madera County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Erica Stuart says she does not expect weather conditions to improve enough for crews to return to the site this year.
Authorities say they completed most of what they needed to do Friday when they removed debris from Fossett’s plane and found three more bone fragments.
The bone fragments will be sent to a lab to determine whether they are human and a match for Fossett.
Fossett vanished in September 2007 during what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight. Wreckage from his plane was discovered last week, solving the lingering mystery of his disappearance.
But a larger question remains: What caused such an accomplished aviator to crash in a place he knew well, on a fine September day?
Popularity: 13% [?]
October 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I’m guessing it was a mechanical problem rather than a pilot error.
October 5th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Or a medical problem, Mac. I guess we’ll have to wait until spring to find out.
A friend from New Mexico advised me the other day that they now have snow in the higher elevations. I don’t know how far Tilsonburg is above sea level but we had frost the other morning and it’s been darn cool since then…+14C right now.
Winter is starting early this year I think.
October 5th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I’m thinking either pilot error or weather. The type of plane he was in is a very light plane…not suitable for bad weather at all. If he got caught/trapped by a thunder cloud near the peaks the plane would of been driven into the ground…the light plane would not make it through. Either that or he didn’t make a turn in time…hopefully they’ll find an answer when it all melts if not sooner.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
No word whether his plane had a “black box” or not; they’re not standard equipment on the small planes although Fossett could afford one. Even without one, it’s amazing what the investigators can discern from wreckage.
Jack, the summer wasn’t any great shakes so I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if we had an early winter. I’m told the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting another one like last year.