Steve Fossett On Discovery Channel

[ol'fido]

Sorry if this has been noted elsewhere. Did anyone see where the Discovery Channel will have a special on the Steve Fossett search on Dec1(Monday) at 9:00 pm EST? I believe the title is something like "Steve Fossett: What Went Wrong".

[Bloodhound]

It's on the Discovery Channel at 10pm Mon Dec 1 and then again at 2am Mon Dec 2 (eastern time)

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=1.14617.25959.0.0

Steve Fossett: What Went Wrong?
 
TV-PG

It's the shocking story of the mysterious disappearance and death of the greatest aviator in the world: Steve Fossett. The crash, the questions, and the haunting answers you've never heard... until now.

[bosshawk]

Can anyone really determine when that program is being telecast?  I have heard 9 and now 10 and it is not clear what time zone is being quoted.  For those of us not in the Eastern time zone, it could very easily be missed.

?

[SarDragon]

10 pm, Eastern and Pacific.

From here.

[bosshawk]

Thanks, Dave.  We can usually count on the voice of reason.

[Capt Rivera]

I hope the put the program online sometime soon... I'll probably miss it... getting tired and work comes early

If they make mention of CAP, please take notes. Thanks

[isuhawkeye]

watching it now

[isuhawkeye]

interesting discussion on the spontaneous volunteers

[Eclipse]

I don't have cable, so I can't watch it, but what's this I'm hearing about a theory he may have survived the crash and later died trying to get out?

From the photos of the wreckage I've seen it didn't look survivable...

[NC Hokie]

I don't have cable, so I can't watch it, but what's this I'm hearing about a theory he may have survived the crash and later died trying to get out?

From the photos of the wreckage I've seen it didn't look survivable...

There was a five-point harness in his plane that appears to have been unfastened.  The design makes it highly unlikely that it either released upon impact or was opened by predators, so the argument is that Fossett survived the crash, released the harness, and started to make his way towards the nearest town.  The fact that his remains were found some 1/4 of a mile away in that direction seem to support this idea.

The other (unmentioned) possibility is that the harness was never secured or that it was released sometime before impact.

[lordmonar]

I just finished watching it.

Pretty good on the whole....but it spent a lot of time in speculation.

As for the five point.....there are two seats in a Super Decathelon.....maybe it was part of the back seat?

[Bloodhound]

I'm not familiar with a five-point that releases all five tabs - doesn't one usually stay fastened?

[NC Hokie]

I'm not familiar with a five-point that releases all five tabs - doesn't one usually stay fastened?

There was a still photo of a buckle from the crash site that had no tabs attached to it.  The harness it went to was similar to this one:

http://www.ogracing.com/images/products/1172-G-FORCE-PRO-SERIES-5-PT-CAMLOCK-HARNESS-SET.jpg

The explanation was that twisting the buckle to open the harness would release all five tabs.

[AvroArrow]

I grew up in the Sierras, and I must say, unless there was some horrible wind (as they stated in the program) I don't see how such an experienced pilot got so close to the mountainside.

They eliminated loss of fuel or egine failure at the beginning, didn't they? 

[NC Hokie]

They eliminated loss of fuel or egine failure at the beginning, didn't they? 

I missed some of the beginning but I did hear them say that evidence of a fire ruled out loss of fuel as a cause of the crash.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the engine was running though, as there may have been a blockage in the fuel line or something.  As far as engine failure goes, I'd think that they haven't had enough time to rule that out at this point given that they've had the wreckage less than two months.

[lordmonar]

NTSB has not even issued a prelim finding of fact.

I have heard a lot of rummors about it....but I'll not perpetuate anything till the NTSB report comes out.

[bosshawk]

I watched the whole thing: it came on on my Dish system at 2300.  I was prepared for a very negative show, but it pleasantly surprised me.  The sub-title was "What Went Wrong".  I don't think that they ever really addressed that question, other than the plane crashed and the pilot died: I guess that would constitute something went wrong.

There were probably five to eight shots of CAP planes on the ramp and one sound bite from Cynthia Ryan, the NVWG PAO.  Other than that, not much mention of CAP except for an occasional "the CAP searched extensively".  No interviews with any of the search crews: thank goodness.

As someone else mentioned, there was a certain amount of speculation.  That is to be expected.  Most of the "experts" interviewed were pilots from the local area: some were good and some were not.

I can tell you that the quarter grid where the impact point was located was searched once by a CAP crew: that's all.  It was really outside the area where the search was concentrated.  I also saw some photos taken from a helicopter at 300 ft, right over the impact point and I defy you to tell me that it was the impact point.  I can only imagine what it looked like from the usual CAP search altitude of 1.000 ft.  Nevada and California Wings searched over 1200 hours and that crash site was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

I have had the advantage of seeing the Official CAWG After Action Report and it says pretty much the same things.

[RiverAux]

I have had the advantage of seeing the Official CAWG After Action Report and it says pretty much the same things.

An acutal after action report?? Boy do I wish we would write more of these and make them public (with any personal critisisms redacted as much as possible) so that we could all learn from them. 

[Tubacap]

Any chance to get a copy of the AAR?

[bosshawk]

Tubacap: I doubt it.  Not sure of what is going to happen with the report: it was written in Powerpoint(with photos) to present factual data for our Wing Commander.  I suppose that he could do with it what he wants. 

I can tell you that it doesn't take pot shots at anyone and has no derogatory information in it about anyone.  Just the facts: one can draw his/her own opinions.

[calguy]

AAR?  Odd...I was involved at the Command Staff level and was never asked to participate in any after action report.  I talked to the DO a few weeks ago about just that, the AAR and he said he is still waiting for one.  He is quoted as saying we were in the grid where Fossett was nearly 20 times with no joy and that was after CAWG had the radar track to the crash site.   Why wouldn't the Wing share it if they is nothing to hide and why wouldn't they ask the key players if they wanted the truth?  Looks like more of the same!

[wingnut55]

Calguy

Well the key here is: " present factual data for our Wing Commander".


Ergo: You were not interviewed

If they do? pigs will fly, and Dumbo will return. Remember we live in a state built on 'Imagination".

[jimmydeanno]

Just thought of this thread because this show is on right at this very moment.  Discovery Channel, 2200 EST.