WASHINGTON, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - US investigators said Friday they had found the wreckage of a small plane in California mountains believed to have belonged to billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett who disappeared over a year ago.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement it had sent a team 'to investigate the crash of a small plane that was found yesterday (Wednesday) that appears to be the aircraft piloted by adventurer Steve Fossett.'

The wreckage was found in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains close to Mammoth Lakes, California, where items including cash and ID with Fossett's name were found by a hiker on Tuesday.