NTSB -- NTSB DETERMINES THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE 2007 PLANE CRASH INVOLVING STEVE FOSSETT WAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH DOWNDRAFTS

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2009

SB-09-35

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NTSB DETERMINES THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE 2007 PLANE CRASH

INVOLVING STEVE FOSSETT WAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH DOWNDRAFTS

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Washington, DC – The National Transportation Safety Board

has released its final report on the aviation accident that

claimed the life of Steve Fossett.

The Board determined that the aircraft, a Bellanca

8KCAB-180 (N240R) struck mountainous terrain near Mammoth

Lakes, California following an inadvertent encounter with

downdrafts that exceeded the climb capability of the

airplane. Contributing to the accident were the downdrafts,

high density altitude, and mountainous terrain.

On September 3, 2007, Mr. Fossett, the only person

aboard, departed Flying M Ranch, a private airport near

Yerington, Nevada on a local, personal flight and failed to

return. A month-long search by the Civil Air Patrol, state

and county authorities, and friends of the accident pilot

failed to locate the aircraft.

On October 7, 2008, a hiker found some of the pilot’s

personal effects. “Once these items were found, the Safety

Board launched a team to conduct the on-scene phase of the

investigation,” said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

An aerial search located the airplane wreckage about 0.5

miles from the pilot’s personal effects, at an elevation of

approximately 10,000 feet.

On the day of the accident, no emergency radio

transmissions were received from the pilot, nor were any

emergency locator transmitter signals received. After the

wreckage was discovered, a review of radar data from

September 2007 revealed a track that ended about 1 mile

northwest of the accident site.

The Board's report, including the probable cause, is

available on the NTSB's website at:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20081007X17184&key=

NTSB Media Contact: Terry N. Williams

(202) 314-6100

terry.williams@xxxxxxxx

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