Mountain Downdrafts Blamed in Death of Record-Setting Pilot
Published: July 9, 2009
WASHINGTON — Steve Fossett, who was the first person to complete a solo, nonstop flight around the world in a hot-air balloon and the first to fly an airplane solo around the world nonstop, died on a simple pleasure flight two years ago because he ran into a mountain downdraft, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday.
Steve Fossett