Fossett wife seeks closure - and estate

The wife of Steve Fossett, the wealthy commodities trader and adventurer who went missing on a solo flight in Nevada on September 3, has officially given up hope of finding him alive. Peggy Fossett went to court on Monday to have him declared legally dead. In doing so, she cleared the way for her to take control of his estate.

Fossett's conquests included scaling the world's tallest mountains, swimming the English Channel and completing five non-stop flights around the earth as a solo balloonist, sailor and pilot.

On September 3, while staying as a guest at the Nevada ranch of Barron Hilton, the hotel magnate, he borrowed a single-engine plane for a pleasure ride. He took only a single bottle of water with him for what was due to be a short flight before lunch - and never returned.

In her affidavit, his wife said Fossett, 63, was in good spirits before he disappeared and had no debt or financial difficulties. "None of Steve's wealth was transferred out or withdrawn in any manner that would suggest a planned disappearance," her statement said. "Steve has not accessed any of his assets since his disappearance. Steve had no debt and no life insurance." The couple had been married for 43 years.

"[Steve] Fossett's wealth is vast, surpassing eight figures in liquid assets, various entities and real estate," the court petition said. Under US law, the petition can be filed at any time after someone is suspected of dying.

Officials and volunteers searched for weeks for Fossett and the Bellanca Citabria Super Decathalon plane he was flying. Searchers used rescue aircraft, satellite and radar images and even scoured the craggy, remote terrain of western Nevada on foot. The search recovered wreckage from eight other air crashes, but it turned up no sign of Fossett or the plane.