Trevor Ng
On October 25, 1999, Payne Stewart, a popular and eccentric American golfer known for his flamboyant attire, died in a tragic plane crash in South Dakota. Stewart was one of six people on board the private Learjet that crashed in a quiet pasture on a cattle farm. The plane had lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff, resulting in hypoxia and the deaths of all passengers and crew. The jet continued on autopilot for almost four hours and 1,500 miles across six states before eventually running out of fuel and crashing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | William Payne Stewart |
| Date of Birth | January 30, 1957 |
| Date of Death | October 25, 1999 |
| Age at Death | 42 |
| Cause of Death | Hypoxia due to loss of cabin pressure |
| Place of Death | South Dakota |
| Aircraft Type | Learjet |
| Number of Passengers | 4 |
| Number of Crew | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
Payne Stewart's plane crash
On October 25, 1999, the world lost one of its finest golfers, William Payne Stewart, in a tragic plane crash. Stewart was a popular golfer with spectators, known for his flamboyant attire, which included ivy caps and patterned pants. He was also a golfing traditionalist, gaining affection for links golf and becoming a well-liked figure in Ireland.
The crash occurred when the Learjet that Stewart was travelling in lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff, incapacitating all six people on board with hypoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain and body. The aircraft continued climbing past its assigned altitude on autopilot and failed to make the westward turn toward Dallas, instead continuing northwestward. After flying for almost four hours and 1,500 miles, the plane ran out of fuel and crashed into a field near Aberdeen, South Dakota, after an uncontrolled descent.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report revealed that the plane had undergone several maintenance checks related to cabin pressure in the months before the crash. However, Sunjet Aviation's records did not document the pilot discrepancy reports that prompted the repairs, making it difficult to identify and resolve the issue. Despite this, a Florida state court jury found that Learjet was not liable for the deaths in 2005.
The owner of the crash site, in consultation with the wives of Stewart and the other victims, created a memorial on the site. A rock at its centre bears the names of those who perished, along with a Bible passage. Stewart was posthumously inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001, and his fellow golfers honoured him by wearing his signature outfits and "short pants" during the delayed tournament following his death.
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The cause of the crash
On October 25, 1999, Payne Stewart, a professional golfer, died in a plane crash in South Dakota. Stewart had just finished competing in the National Car Rental Golf Classic in Florida and was en route to Houston for the Tour Championship. He was one of four passengers and two crew aboard a private Learjet that crashed in a field on a farm owned by a man named Hoffman. There were no survivors.
The plane crash that killed Payne Stewart was caused by a combination of factors, including mechanical failure and human error. Shortly after takeoff from Orlando, the plane experienced a loss of cabin pressure, which caused the plane to depressurize. This resulted in hypoxia, a lack of oxygen, for the passengers and crew. The occupants of the plane likely died from hypoxia within the first 15 minutes of the flight.
As the plane continued to fly on autopilot, it was escorted by military planes for over four hours as it travelled across six states. Despite efforts by air traffic control and the military to make contact, there was no response from the plane. The lead pilot of the military escort reported that he was unable to see any movement in the cockpit and that the windshield was dark.
As the plane continued to fly, it eventually ran out of fuel and crashed. The craft lurched forward into a nosedive, corkscrewing towards the ground at a supersonic speed before crashing in a quiet pasture on Hoffman's farm. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the crash and determined that the probable cause was "the flight crew's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to incapacitation from hypoxia as a result of the loss of cabin pressurization for undetermined reasons."
The tragedy of the crash that took the life of Payne Stewart and five others highlighted the importance of aircraft safety and the need for prompt action in emergency situations. It serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of mechanical failures and the crucial role of timely response in ensuring the safety of passengers and crew.
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Who else was on the plane
On October 25, 1999, Payne Stewart died in a plane crash in South Dakota. The plane, a Learjet, was en route to Dallas, Texas, from Orlando, Florida, when it crashed. There were six people on board: two pilots and four passengers. None survived.
The three other passengers were Stewart's agent, Robert Fraley; Bruce Borland, an architect with the Jack Nicklaus Golf Design Company; and Van Ardan, president of the Leader Enterprises sports management agency.
The plane crash was a result of the aircraft depressurising after takeoff, causing the plane to lose cabin pressure and everyone on board to likely succumb to hypoxia, a lack of oxygen. The aircraft then flew on autopilot across the US until it ran out of fuel and crashed.
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The aftermath of the crash
The plane crash occurred on October 25, 1999, and in the days that followed, many notable figures from the golfing world paid tribute to Stewart. Some golfers wore eccentric outfits at The Tour Championship to honour Stewart, who was known for his distinctive clothing.
A year after the crash, Stewart's widow, Tracey, and their two children, along with the family of Stewart's agent, Robert Fraley, who also died in the crash, brought a lawsuit against Learjet, flight operator SunJet Aviation, Inc., and aircraft owner JetShares One Inc.
The Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland, where Stewart had played and performed well, commissioned a bronze statue of the golfer as a tribute. Another statue was erected outside the Pinehurst Resort, where Stewart had won the 1999 U.S. Open, with his signature hat and fist-pumping celebration immortalised.
Even years after the crash, golfers continue to pay their respects at the site of the accident on Hoffman's cattle farm in South Dakota. Some people leave flowers, while others have left items of clothing reminiscent of Stewart's unique fashion sense, such as flat caps.
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Tributes to Payne Stewart
The golfing world was quick to honour Stewart's memory. During the final round of the tournament following his death, with his wife's permission, golfer Stuart Appleby wore one of Payne's signature outfits, and most of the other golfers in the field wore "short pants". The tournament was delayed to allow competitors to attend Stewart's memorial service at the First Baptist Church of Orlando, which was attended by many notable people in golf, including Tiger Woods, and speakers included Tracey Stewart, Payne's wife, and Paul Azinger, a close friend of Stewart's.
In the years since his death, tributes have continued to pour in for Stewart. In 2000, the PGA Tour established the Payne Stewart Award, given annually to a player who embodies Stewart's respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to charitable support, and professional conduct and presentation. The Payne Stewart Golf Club was also opened in Branson, Missouri, in 2009, with the approval of Stewart's widow, featuring an 18-hole course designed by Bobby Clampett and Chuck Smith, with each hole named for a notable moment in Stewart's life.
In 2014, at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, Rickie Fowler wore plus fours and argyle socks in tribute to Stewart, and a memorial was held on the eve of the tournament, with Tracey Stewart and Azinger speaking. NBC also opened their broadcast of the 2022 U.S. Open final round with an emotional tribute to Stewart, featuring narration from his son, Aaron, news clips, and home video footage.
Statues of Stewart have been erected at Pinehurst No. 2, overlooking the 18th green, and at Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland, where Stewart was a popular figure, celebrating his affiliation with the course.
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Frequently asked questions
Golfer Payne Stewart died in an airplane accident on October 25, 1999. The plane, a Learjet 35, flew uncontrolled for several hours before crashing in a field in South Dakota. All six people on board, including Stewart and two pilots, were killed due to hypoxia, likely caused by a loss of cabin pressure.
No, unfortunately, there were no survivors in the crash. Everyone on board perished, and the plane was completely destroyed upon impact.
The exact cause of the crash was attributed to a loss of cabin pressure, which led to hypoxia, a condition where the body is deprived of adequate oxygen. The pilots likely became incapacitated due to the lack of oxygen, causing the plane to fly uncontrolled until it eventually ran out of fuel and crashed. Investigations also revealed that the plane's warning horn, which should have alerted the pilots to the pressure loss, was silenced by a faulty switch.
