Moments after authorities discovered the plane wreckage of Steve

Fossett, a millionaire pilot missing since last year, a blogger managed to zoom in on a virtual view of the crash site using Google Earth.

To narrow down his search, Frank Taylor, writer of Google Earth Blog, pieced together information about the characteristics and general location of the crash site. He then learned from a commenter on his blog that the FAA put out a temporary no-fly restriction to prevent pilots from flying over the area in support of the investigation.

Taylor deduced that must have been where the crash occurred, and he zoomed in on the FAA's coordinates. The final piece that completed the puzzle was a photo of the crash site from the Los Angeles Times. Because Google

Earth's 3D terrain is rich in detail, Taylor believes he was able to make a very close match.

"I went into Google Earth to maneuver my view around to match where that photo was taken," Taylor said in a phone interview. "I estimate the location where I put that now is about

250 feet of where that photo was taken."

In addition, another commenter on the blog said he found what appeared to be the mine site where hikers discovered Fossett's belongings and recreated

Fossett's flight in Google Earth. By virtually "flying" there, he said he found a "dead-end canyon" with very little room for a plane to turn.



Taylor said he has been tracking Fossett's missing plane since it was reported missing in 2007.

His amateur sleuthing demonstrates a sophisticated usage of Google

Earth, a program that combines satellite imagery, aerial photography and 3D illustrations to provide users virtual views of the entire world.

Other than tracking down missing persons, authorities and searchers have used Google Earth's detailed imagery to virtually learn the terrain — familiarizing themselves with lakes, craters and rough terrain, for example — before embarking on their rescue operations.

Taylor wasn't alone in his virtual search for

Fossett, either. Hundreds participated in trying to track down the missing pilot using Google Earth last year, but when authorities called off the search, most of the online sleuthers gave up, too.

Fossett, a millionaire adventurer, was last seen the morning of Sept. 3, 2007.

He reportedly said he was planning to fly over the Sierra Nevada. His disappearance prompted not only hundreds of online trackers to search for his plane, but also thousands of volunteers and hundreds of authorities searching from above and below — to no avail.

Authorities suspended the search in October 2007.

On Wednesday, investigators found his crashed plane on the area near Mammoth Lakes on the Sierra Nevada after hikers there found Fossett's ID card, a sweat shirt and cash.

Authorities have not found Fossett's body.

Updated 3 p.m. PDT Thursday: Google Earth users can download Taylor's KMZ file to view his findings.

Location of Plane Wreck of Steve Fossett [Google Earth Blog]

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Photo: Frank Taylor