LOS ANGELES, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - Adventurer Steve Fossett spent his life chasing world records and shattering them, sailing, floating and flying faster and farther than anyone before.

But after repeatedly cheating death -- he once plummeted 29,000-feet (9,000-meter) into the Coral Sea when a storm shredded his balloon -- Fossett's luck ran out on what should have been a routine solo flight.

The mystery of the 63-year-old's disappearance appeared to be solved on Thursday after rescuers found the wreckage of what was termed a 'non-survivable' plane crash in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The discovery came more than one year after Fossett took off from a private airstrip in Nevada on September 3, 2007, never to be seen again.

It was the final act of a remarkable life spent testing the boundaries of what conventional wisdom considered possible.

By the time of his death, Fossett had set more than 100 records, and 62 of them remain unbroken.

In 2006, pushing his piloting skills and physical endurance to the outer limits, Fossett guided his Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer some 42,000 kilometers (26,000 miles) around the world, despite a damaging gas leak at take-off and dangerous wind shifts.

By doing that the 63-year-old millionaire broke his own solo record, set in 2005 when he flew the same aircraft 36,898 kilometers around the world.

Born in California, Fossett attended Stanford University before obtaining an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Fossett's thrill-seeking career was bankrolled by the fortune he made on the turbulent floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where he accumulated millions as the founder and head of Marathon Securities.

A tireless athlete, Fossett also swam the English Channel, raced in the Ironman Triathlon and took part in the grueling, 1,887-kilometer (1,165 mile) Iditarod Dogsled Race across Alaska. He competed in the 24-hour Le Mans race.

He told AFP in 2005 that he had no intention of easing up on his record attempts. 'There's no reason to stop,' he said.

'What I do will change -- when I'm 90 years old I can imagine sending a remote-controlled airplane around the world.'

Fossett's modest manner belied the passion that fuelled his costly and dangerous exploits.

'Frankly, I do them for the satisfaction of those achievements,' Fossett once said. 'I have a feeling of contentment and a satisfaction that I've done something faster or farther than anyone before.'

Fossett shunned the media spotlight in the early years of his exploits. His motives were personal, he said, and he had no interest in making appearances or going on book tours.

Towards the end of his life, however, he realized that publicizing his adventures could be a public service and could help to inspire new generations of adventurers.

Widely considered the world's most accomplished speed sailor, Fossett gained international fame in 2002 when he made it around the world on his sixth attempt at a solo balloon trip.

In the following five years, he beat the world record for around-the-world sailing by six days and has set 10 of the 21 Glider Open World Records.

He also held 13 of the 22 Outright World Records as recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

Fossett received numerous awards for his exploits, including the Gold Air Medal from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the US Sailing Association's 2001 Yachtsman of the Year and a Distinction in Exploration from the National Geographic Society.