American adventurer Steve Fossett (Feb 2006 file photo)

Authorities in California say search teams have found the wreckage of missing US adventurer Steve Fossett's airplane.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board say the aircraft was spotted overnight Wednesday in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.

Earlier this week, a hiker in the area found identification documents belonging to Fossett.

Authorities confirmed Thursday that the wreckage was that of Fossett's single engine Bellanca plane.

The adventurer disappeared last year after taking off from the neighboring state of Nevada.  A judge declared the 63-year-old millionaire legally dead in February.

Fossett disappeared while scouting for a place to attempt a world record for land speed.

Fossett had carried out a number record-setting adventures.  In 2002, he became the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon.  In 2005, he made history as the first person to fly solo in a plane around the world without refueling.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.