Stephen Fossett Search Continues

The search for legendary aviatar and multi-billionaire adventurer Steven Fossett is set to commence once more.  Stephen Fossett, while out scoping the Salt Flats for a new land speed record attempt, went missing on Labor Day weekend last year.  This sparked a huge effort to find Stephen Fossett, including a $10,000 reward and hundreds of amateur SAR personnel scanning the area on Google Maps in hopes of finding Stephen’s wrecked plane.  They didn’t find Stephen or his plane, but more than 10 other aviation accidents were located and mapped throughout this process.

The legend of Steve Fossett has continued to foster thoughts that Stephen decided to disappear on his own accord.  He has not been heard from since Labor Day weekend.  No body or plane has been recovered, or even found.  His family suggests that he wouldn’t do this, but the rumors still run rampant.

What Is Known

I began covering this search when it first started.  Many of us knew Steven through his many adventures.  Who will forget Stephen Fossett and Sir Richard Branson’s quest (and race) to become the first person to fly solo, around the world, in a hot air balloon?  This was put up by all the media giants and featured prominently on front pages of newspapers around the world.

This wasn’t Steven Fossett’s only grand adventure, though.  He has broken over 100 world records over his adventuring career, including records in Ballooning and aviation.  Over 80 of them still stand.

Trouble began on Labor Day weekend of 2007.  Steve had borrowed a plane to do some searching for a proper area to carry out his next big adventure, an attempt at the world land speed record.  No flight plan was recorded.  Steven, being a legend in aviation, and not doing anything most of his friends and family considered risky, did not see any reason that one should be filed.  He failed to return back to the remote ranch (owned by the Hilton Matriarch–yes, that Hilton.  Paris’ famous billionaire father).

Many people, at first, seen no reason to worry.  Steve was just out doing what Steve does–having fun.  After a few hours though, with no word from Stephen Fossett, reality started to sink in that there may be a problem.  Family and friends alerted local authorities, but still were not to worried.

Steven Fossett had been in trouble before.  On more than one occasion, death loomed around the corner but Steven was always able to pull through and survive.  He had vast amounts of training in wilderness survival and knew what it took to stay alive.

In the ensuing days and weeks ahead, Stephen Fossett’s training and lack of preparation would be questioned.  Why would he not file a flight plan?  Why was no distress signal given, even though his plane was equipped with the latest in technological advances?  If he had crashed and survived, why was no signal given from Stephen?  Surely he knew how to signal for help.

The Elements

Western Nevada is a rugged country-one where heat scorches the open ground during the day, and by night, it can get down-right cold.  Western Nevada is also marred my deep valleys and ravines that can swallow a 747 without thinking twice, or even leave a trace of existence.  It is a rough country full of rough elements.

During the search for Stephen Fossett, more than 10 planes were discovered wrecked in the area.  These planes dated back to World War II, but some were more recent, as well.  These planes were not known to exist.  For the past 5-10-50 years, these planes were simply mentioned as a disappearance, with no explanation given.  Family and friends had no idea where their loved ones were, or what even became of them.  That is how rugged Western Nevada is.  Things just disappear.

Many of the planes discovered throughout the Stephen Fossett search have now been mapped.  A few remains were recovered and sent to their rightful families, others though, had simply vanished with time and the coyotes.

Nine Months Later

It has now been nine months since Stephen Fossett disappeared.  By all means, this is a recovery process more than a rescue.  Stephen Fossett was legally declared dead on February 15th of this year in an Illinois court.

Current efforts will involve a bit less manpower, but a more strategic search plan.  Two teams of volunteers are heading out to the last known place where Steve was seen, in the Eastern Sierra’s.  Over the coming months, those two teams plan to search ledges, crevices, steep canyons, and cliffs, as well as some really tough-to-get-to, out-of-reach places.  These areas are what is left from a 20,000 square mile search area.  Volunteers, who were originally involved in this search, are providing their knowledge and maps to the volunteers ready to set out.  Hopefully, Steven Fossett can be found and his body recovered.  Many people who have put in time and effort would like to breath a bit easier knowing that a legendary adventurer has been brought home.  The Adventurist wishes them the best.