NTSB releases probable cause for Steve Fossett crash

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
Oops, you're right, I must have subconsciously assumed the "on impact".
Seems probable that the impact is what destroyed it, but it doesn't say
that, and it certainly could have happened later (e.g. in the fire). My
apologies.

If it were the fire, then the ELT would be history within 2 or three minutes
of the crash. It would be long-gone hours before anyone was listening for
it.

Depending on the type of installation, another possibility is that an ELT
can simply get separated from its external antenna. That would greatly
reduce its range (from a matter of miles to a matter of feet). From the
choice of words "destroyed" that was apparently not the case in this crash.

Vaughn