Payne Stewart

American golf champion, killed in a bizarre plane crash in a South Dakota field on 25 October 1999 at age 42. The crew and passengers aboard the Lear Jet lost consciousness sometime after the plane took off from Orlando, Florida on that day at 9:09 AM EDT. The plane was headed for Dallas but veered to the northwest on automatic pilot, flying for several hours while U.S. air Force jets flew helplessly side by. At "about 1:30 PM" the plane nose-dived straight into the ground, killing Stewart, his two agents, the pilot and co-pilot.

Stewart was an accomplished pro golfer, the winner of three major tournaments, 11 PGA tour events and 7 international events during his 18-year career. He was described as a devoted husband and father to his kids, ages 13 and 10. Once said to be arrogant, Stewart is said to have had a religious and personal transformation in his last years.

Stewart was a popular golfer with spectators, who responded enthusiastically to his distinctive clothing. He was reputed to have the biggest wardrobe of all professional golfers and was a favorite of photographers because of his flamboyant attire of ivy caps and patterned pants, which were a cross between plus fours and knickerbockers, a throwback to the once-commonplace golf "uniform". Stewart was also admired for having one of the most gracefully fluid and stylish golf swings of the modern era.