Fossett aircraft contains 'minimal' human remains

Investigators probing the crash site of Steve Fossett's Bellanca Super Decathlon - in mountainous terrain near the town of Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, California - have confirmed the wreckage contains "minimal" human remains, but sufficient for DNA identification. Fosset took off on 3 September 2007 from hotelier Barron Hilton …

[Tom Simnett]

Strikes me that....

http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1995-04.html could explain some of it...

[George]

I didn't know much about the guy...

...but it's a shame.

Glad his family have closure as they say and can now move on.

[Ben Bradley]

Renow

No wonder it took so long to find. Renow, Nevada's not listed on any maps. Just like Area51

[Anonymous Coward]

Coyotes Gotta Eat, Too

They don't leave many scraps.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Renow

Could have something to do with the fact is is spelled Reno

[Anonymous Coward]

Anybody remember John Stonehouse?

Call me cynical, but am I the only one that thinks that this is looking suspiciously like Fossett has pulled a Stonehouse?

Look at what we have: an aircraft so smashed up that "nobody could have walked away", but no body... yet, conveniently, "minimal" human remains to provide a confirmatory DNA sample. Despite the severity of the crash, his pilot's license survived and is found near enough at hand to lead searchers to the crash site... along with "other documentation, clothing" to prove it was him and some $100 bills, just the thing to catch the attention of a passing hiker who might otherwise ignore a random pil of trash. And despite being flown by arguably the most experienced solo pilot in the world, the plan flew directly into a mountain?

Maybe I've seen too many episodes of CSI but none of this adds up. I think he parachuted out leaving the plane on a glidepath into the mountain, then planted the "evidence" to lead searchers to the site. Heck, until we see what shape the evidence is in, he might have planted it quite recently, frustrated by searchers' failure to find the plane.

As for the "coyotes did it" theory -- it is unlikely that they would drag his body anywhere, let alone be able to drag it out of the cockpit of a smashed-up plane, eat all of it including the bones, while conveniently leaving his pilot's license, clothes, and cash to be found in a nice neat pile.

Of course, if his body turns up in the next few days (possibly inside a coyote), I'm going to look like a complete plonker...

[Andy ORourke]

@Anybody remember John Stonehouse?

Never mind too many episodes of CSI, dont you mean a copycat from the Simpsons when Crusty faked his own death!

"Maybe I've seen too many episodes of CSI but none of this adds up. I think he parachuted out leaving the plane on a glidepath into the mountain, then planted the "evidence" to lead searchers to the site."

The above description almost exactly describes the episode in question

I hope the family do get some closure from this and I don't wish to make fun of oter people's misfortunes and it isn't nice to speculate but it does seem very 'Convenient' doesn't it?

[Anonymous Coward]

@ AC

Don't worry about the next few days, you already do.

[Paul Hatch]

As for the "coyotes did it" theory

you would expect at least skeletal remains unless he survived the initial crash as I would assume he was strapped into the pilot's seat and those belts are hard enough for humans to undo let alone coyotes or other scavengers.

[J]

Coyotes?

That's nothing. There are lots of other animals out there, smaller than coyotes, which could get the bones and take away (they love the bone marrow), specially in the long time since it's been there. The scavenging does not stop at the bones, depending on the place where the body is -- or you'd see lots of skeletons of dead animals around, wouldn't you?

[neil]

@ John Stonehouse

Surely you mean Reggie Perrin.

[Anonymous Coward]

Still

it sucks to be him in that last few seconds before impact

[Anonymous Coward]

Reggie Perrin?

I didn't get where I am today by confusing John Stonehouse and Reggie Perrin.

Great! Super!

[loren massie]

bing, bang, boom

Did you see the photos? The engine was 300' above the rest of it. A body would have been in smaller pieces. Ants, birds and various critters would have left nothing in a week or so. He didn't take a parachute according to the ranch staff. Real hard for a 60 year old to get out the door of a flying aircraft anyway.

You have to admire a guy who took those risks when he could have sat at home counting his money. He died doing what he liked best and it sure beats dying in a hospital with tubes and lawyers.

[Astarte]

Missing, or Lost?

It is very unfortunate that so great a man could have died this way but it’s also surprising. The person finding the jacket, cash, ID and other things was right to report it to the authorities but there are still a few loose threads to be tied up.

Animals, insects and natural decay might explain missing biological remains but there must be other evidence such as his footwear, other clothing such as a belt buckle, sunglasses, wrist-watch, rings and other body furniture that would be expected to be on his person. These might have taken by thieves but they would have probably taken other valuables even if they didn’t discover the jacket and wallet. Is it likely that he had a parachute? It seems likely that there would be no good reason for him to need one in his type of aircraft.

For me to agree that he might have ‘done a Reggie Perrin’ would not concur with my ideas about the man – I think it more likely that he touched ground, or was thrown some way away from the crash site and wandered away somewhere – perhaps for many miles. His body or remains may yet be found. If he intended to make a clandestine disappearance then he would be able to do so efficiently and effectively in which case evidence might appear through financial, medical or other channels, if at all.

As far as I’m concerned a body or his remains should be found. Until then the mystery remains extant.

Good luck Steve.