Fossett Fails in Second Bid to Break Glider Record

Sep 19, 2003
Fossett Fails in Second Bid to Break Glider Record
The Associated Press

OMARAMA, New Zealand (AP) - American adventurer Steve Fossett failed Saturday in his second bid in less than a day to break the glider altitude record in southern New Zealand.

Fossett and former NASA test pilot Einar Enevoldson set off shortly after daybreak to seek out wind conditions they hoped would lift their glider above the current record of 49,009 feet.

They were back on the ground an hour later, aborting the attempt after hitting "rotor wind ... which is rough and turbulent," Fossett told The Associated Press.

"We were hoping for better," said the Chicago millionaire, the first person to fly a hot air balloon solo around the world. "Even the tow plane had to drop us off early" because the wind conditions were too rough.

This second failed bid came 13 hours after Friday's attempt stalled north of New Zealand's highest peak, the 12,316-foot Mount Cook, at about 25,000 feet.

The team hopes a fresh weather pattern approaching the region may give them one last shot at the record early in the coming week.

Omarama is a gliding center on South Island, 415 miles southwest of the capital, Wellington.

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGADOILSSKD.html