Steve Fossett Missing

At 8:45 am, Monday, September 3, 2007, Steve Fossett took off alone in a Bellanca Super Decathlon single-engine airplane (N240R registered to the Flying M Hunting Club, Inc.) from an airstrip located near Smith Valley NV(the Flying-M Ranch is owned by Barron Hilton).

A Bellanca Super Decathlon, with full tanks can fly for about five hours. When Fossett failed to return a search was started at 6 pm. Fossett did not file a VFR flight plan, which is not improper since the flight was only to be to survey flight looking for a suitable lake bed to use in a upcoming land speed record attempt.

Steve Fossett has set world records in sailplanes, powered aircraft, balloons and sailboats. Fossett has also climbed the highest peaks on six continents, set cross-country skiing records, swam the English Channel and raced in the 24 hours of Le Mans road race.