
On October 25, 1999, American golfer Payne Stewart died in a plane crash. The 42-year-old was on a Learjet flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for a golf tournament when the aircraft lost cabin pressure, causing everyone on board to lose consciousness and eventually crash. Hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, was the cause of death for Stewart and the five others on board.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Payne Stewart |
| Date of Death | 25 October 1999 |
| Age | 42 |
| Cause of Death | Hypoxia, a lack of oxygen due to cabin depressurisation |
| Transport | Learjet |
| Number of Passengers | 6 |
| Survivors | 0 |
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What You'll Learn
- Payne Stewart's death was caused by hypoxia (lack of oxygen)
- The plane crash was a result of cabin depressurisation or loss of cabin pressure
- The jet continued flying on autopilot after everyone on board had lost consciousness
- The golfer was 42 years old when he died
- A memorial statue of Payne Stewart stands at Pinehurst Resort

Payne Stewart's death was caused by hypoxia (lack of oxygen)
Payne Stewart, an American professional golfer, died on October 25, 1999, at the age of 42. He died in an airplane accident when a small private jet crashed in South Dakota. However, it is believed that the cause of his death was hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen, induced by the loss of cabin pressure shortly after takeoff.
Stewart was a popular golfer known for his distinctive clothing style, including his signature flat cap and patterned pants. He had a successful golfing career, winning 11 PGA Tour events, including three major championships. His final major championship win was at the 1999 U.S. Open, just four months before his death.
On the day of the accident, Stewart was flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for The Tour Championship held at Champions Golf Club in Houston. The plane carrying Stewart and five others lost cabin pressure, causing everyone on board to lose consciousness and eventually die due to a lack of oxygen. The plane continued flying on autopilot for several hours until it crashed into a cornfield in northeastern South Dakota.
An F-16 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept the unresponsive plane and found it at an altitude of 46,400 feet with both engines running. The windows of the plane appeared frosted over, indicating a loss of cabin pressure. It is believed that those on board died within the first 15 minutes of the flight. The exact cause of the cabin pressure loss remains unknown.
The site of the crash has now been marked by a stone engraved with the names of Stewart and the five other individuals who perished in the tragic accident.
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The plane crash was a result of cabin depressurisation or loss of cabin pressure
On October 25, 1999, golfer Payne Stewart died in a plane crash. Stewart was a three-time major champion and an 11-time PGA Tour winner. He was known for his eccentric clothing choices, including his signature flat cap, which made him stand out among other golfers.
The plane crash that took Stewart's life was the result of cabin depressurization or loss of cabin pressure. The Learjet, which was flying from Orlando, Florida, to Dallas, Texas, lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff, leading to a loss of consciousness for everyone on board due to hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. Military planes escorted the unresponsive aircraft, which continued flying on autopilot for several hours until it eventually crashed in a cornfield in South Dakota.
The windows of the plane appeared to be frosted over, which is a telltale sign of cabin depressurization. It is believed that Stewart and the five other individuals on board died within the first 15 minutes of the flight after the plane lost cabin pressure. This tragic incident not only took the lives of those on board but also left a lasting impact on the world of golf, with many competitors committed to keeping Stewart's memory alive.
An investigation into the crash revealed that the plane's engines were running, and the anti-collision beacon was on, but the pilot of the fighter jet that intercepted the plane could not see inside. This indicated that the occupants of the plane were likely incapacitated due to the loss of cabin pressure.
Following the tragedy, a stone was placed at the crash site, engraved with the names of Stewart and the five other individuals who lost their lives in the accident.
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The jet continued flying on autopilot after everyone on board had lost consciousness
On October 25, 1999, Payne Stewart, an American professional golfer, died in a tragic plane crash. Stewart was on a Learjet flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for a tournament. The jet lost cabin pressure, causing everyone on board to lose consciousness and die from hypoxia, a lack of oxygen. The plane continued flying on autopilot for several hours until it eventually crashed into a cornfield in northeastern South Dakota.
The plane, known as "ghost plane," first lost its right engine and gently banked to the east as if preparing to land. However, the loss of cabin pressure resulted in hypoxia for all on board, including Stewart and the two pilots. Military planes escorted the ghost plane over its four-hour journey into the Midwest, but no one inside was alive.
An F-16 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept the unresponsive plane and found it at an altitude of 46,400 feet. The fighter jet pilot reported that both engines were running, and the anti-collision beacon was on, but he couldn't see inside due to frosted-over windows, indicating cabin depressurization. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of Stewart and five others, leaving an enduring legacy in the world of golf.
Stewart, known for his distinctive clothing and flamboyant attire, was a popular golfer with spectators. He had a unique sense of style, often wearing clothes that resembled those of golfers from earlier generations. His signature flat cap and elegant outfits made him one of the most recognizable and fashionable golfers of his time.
In addition to his fashion sense, Stewart was a talented golfer. He won 11 PGA Tour events, including three major championships. His career spanned from 1979 until his untimely death in 1999, joining the PGA Tour in 1982. He was widely loved by PGA Tour competitors and fans, with many notable figures attending his memorial service and paying tribute to his eccentric style.
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The golfer was 42 years old when he died
On October 25, 1999, 42-year-old professional golfer Payne Stewart died in a tragic plane crash. Stewart was known for his distinctive clothing, including his signature flat cap, and was a popular golfer with spectators. He was a three-time major champion, with 11 PGA Tour wins, including the PGA Championship in 1989 and the U.S. Open in 1991 and 1999. His final major title was won just four months before his untimely death.
Stewart was on a Learjet flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for a year-ending tournament. The plane lost cabin pressure, causing hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen, which likely incapacitated both the pilots and the passengers. The jet continued flying on autopilot for several hours, but eventually crashed into a cornfield in South Dakota. All six individuals on board perished in the crash, including Stewart, two pilots, and three guests.
The site of the crash is now marked by a stone engraved with the names of those who died. A bronze statue of Stewart was also erected outside the Pinehurst Resort, commemorating his 1999 U.S. Open win at Pinehurst.
The golfer, who was only 42 years old when he died, left a lasting legacy in the world of golf. He was widely loved by PGA Tour competitors and fans alike, and his unique sense of style and talented golf swing continue to inspire golfers today.
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A memorial statue of Payne Stewart stands at Pinehurst Resort
Payne Stewart, born on January 30, 1957, was an American professional golfer. His career spanned from 1979 until his death in 1999. He won 11 PGA Tour events, including three major championships. He was a popular golfer with spectators, who responded enthusiastically to his distinctive clothing. He was also a musician, playing the harmonica in the blues rock group Jake Trout and the Flounders.
On October 25, 1999, Stewart died in an airplane accident at the age of 42. He was killed in the crash of a Learjet flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for a golf tournament. It is believed that he and the five others on board died from hypoxia, a lack of oxygen, shortly after the plane lost cabin pressure.
Pinehurst Resort, where Stewart won his third major title in 1999, now features a memorial statue of him. The bronze statue, sculpted by Zenos Frudakis, was dedicated on November 7, 2001, nearly two years after Stewart's death. It sits about 50 yards off the 18th green at Pinehurst No. 2, commemorating Stewart's famous par putt to win his second U.S. Open title. The statue captures Stewart's iconic celebratory fist pump, immortalizing a moment in golf history.
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Frequently asked questions
Payne Stewart died on October 25, 1999, at the age of 42, in an airplane accident.
The accident was caused by a loss of cabin pressure, which led to hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen, killing everyone on board.
Payne Stewart was travelling from Orlando, Florida, to Texas for the year-ending tournament, The Tour Championship, held at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
Five other individuals died in the crash, including the two pilots and three guests.
















