Merlin the Magician
At the Start
(CNN) -- World aviation record-holder Steve Fossett is missing and a search is under way in western Nevada, a Nevada aviation spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Aviation record-holder Steve Fossett is missing and a search is under way.
Fossett took off in a single-engine plane from a private air strip known as Flying M Ranch, near Smith Valley, 30 miles south of Yerington, Nevada, on Monday, with enough fuel for four to five hours of flight, according to Civil Air Patrol Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan
Yerington is south of Carson City, near the California border.
The 63-year-old who was the first person to solo around the world in a balloon, took off Monday at about 9 a.m. (noon ET) in good weather and had planned to return at noon, a CAP statement said.
The search for Fossett began about six hours later. Ryan said authorities are searching hundreds of miles of rugged terrain in western Nevada. They also are analyzing information from radar intelligence to try to track Fossett.
He was flying in a single-engine, Citabria Super Decathlon -- a plane capable of aerobatics -- with tail number N240R, according to CAP. Fossett, though, had no parachute, which is required for aerobatics. See where Fossett took off »
Six search aircraft with three-man crews are taking part in the search, and high winds are posing problems, Ryan said. Helicopters from Naval Air Station Fallon, in Fallon, Nevada, and the California Highway Patrol are helping. Watch CNN's Miles O'Brien, who is a pilot, describe the search »
There has been no sound from the plane's emergency locator radio beacon, which goes off if there is a hard impact. The aircraft, with serial number 635-80, is manufactured by Bellanca, and registered to the Flying M Hunting Club Inc. in Yerington.
Aviation record-holder Steve Fossett is missing and a search is under way.
Fossett took off in a single-engine plane from a private air strip known as Flying M Ranch, near Smith Valley, 30 miles south of Yerington, Nevada, on Monday, with enough fuel for four to five hours of flight, according to Civil Air Patrol Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan
Yerington is south of Carson City, near the California border.
The 63-year-old who was the first person to solo around the world in a balloon, took off Monday at about 9 a.m. (noon ET) in good weather and had planned to return at noon, a CAP statement said.
The search for Fossett began about six hours later. Ryan said authorities are searching hundreds of miles of rugged terrain in western Nevada. They also are analyzing information from radar intelligence to try to track Fossett.
He was flying in a single-engine, Citabria Super Decathlon -- a plane capable of aerobatics -- with tail number N240R, according to CAP. Fossett, though, had no parachute, which is required for aerobatics. See where Fossett took off »
Six search aircraft with three-man crews are taking part in the search, and high winds are posing problems, Ryan said. Helicopters from Naval Air Station Fallon, in Fallon, Nevada, and the California Highway Patrol are helping. Watch CNN's Miles O'Brien, who is a pilot, describe the search »
There has been no sound from the plane's emergency locator radio beacon, which goes off if there is a hard impact. The aircraft, with serial number 635-80, is manufactured by Bellanca, and registered to the Flying M Hunting Club Inc. in Yerington.
