A learjet which took off from Florida is currently flying toward the midwest over Nebraska and it is said to be "unpiloted". Circumstances are still vague but apparently the military is tracking the plane. It is unknown who is on the plane or what happened to the 5 people on board.

This is a developing story...don't want to freak anyone out but my first thought was "terrorist attack". Why would the military F-16 be following this plane?

-- Forum Regular (stranger things@are happening.now), October 25, 1999

Answers

They are saying they might have to shoot it out of the sky.

They are saying it might take a presidential order to do that.

The anti-clinton people are going to have a field day with this if thats done. Rumour will be Clinton ordered it shot down because people on the plane knew too much.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), October 25, 1999.

Very interesting. See

http://cnn.com/US/9910/2 5/wayward.jet/

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), October 25, 1999.

They think the 5 people on board (one of which they hinted is a golfer that everyone would recognize his name) are incapacitated (perhaps unconcscious). It would run out of fuel over South Dekota but they said they would stop it before it hits area (shoot it down)?

-- Debi (LongTimeLurker@shy.com), October 25, 1999.

Lest people think that this is me, it is not!!! I did not post this!!!

Someone else is using my handle Forum Regular. You gotta remember, here in Hawaii it's only 7:00am!

The REAL Forum Regular

-- The REAL Forum Regular (Here@y2k.comx), October 25, 1999.

This is waaaaaay too strange and surreal.

Ok...the lear jet is flying on auto pilot on what I would think would be a pre-determined course. Do these jets use waypoints? That is, do they fly to a certain point on a map, correct and then fly on? It was suppose to land in Dallas.

I get shivers thinking that perhaps this plane has been manipulated, it's passengers killed and the plane now a "flying bomb" on it's way out west.

I have an active imagination and it's going a little crazy here. It's tracking toward South Dakota...any military sites in that area?

Has anything like this ever happened before?

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 25, 1999.

REAL regular,

Do you think anyone really gives a shit?

-- (wwwwww@wwwwww.com), October 25, 1999.

What if it crashes when the fuel runs out, (any second now) and they look through the wreckage, and there's NOBODY THERE?? Hehe, Stephen King kinda stuff. Anyone wanna guess what golfer this might be? The Disney open just concluded with Tiger Woods winning. Do we know where he is?? I love being "inbetween" breaking news, when you don't know whats going to happen next.

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), October 25, 1999.

I seem to have heard the golfer is Payne Stewart. Just heard about it on the radio...

Strange Days.

-- Mr. Details (no@no.com), October 25, 1999.

I would hate to lose Tiger Woods or anyone else right now. What a sad delima.

Kritter, this does have the makings of an interesting storyline.

"The REAL Forum Regular", you should know that various people here have been using that handle, "Forum Regular" to post here for at least a year.

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 25, 1999.

Hey wwwwww@wwwwww.com

Sorry to hear about your constipation problem!

But I wasn't talking to you. You probably impersonate everyone on this forum anyway

-- Forum Regular (Here@y2k.comx), October 25, 1999.

from usatoday:

Learjet out of control over Midwest SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration say they are tracking a Learjet that is flying over the Midwest, apparently without a pilot at the controls, and are scrambling to handle the situation. "The only thing that I can confirm is that there is a Learjet in distress," Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said in Chicago. The plane, which reportedly took off from Orlando, Fla., is carrying five passengers, but attempts to communicate with them have been unsuccessful. Some reports, including one by ABC News, have suggested that pro golfer Payne Stewart is among those aboard.

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Go to Nationline Go to News front page Go to USA TODAY front page

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Front page, News, Sports, Money, Life, Weather, Marketplace ) Copyright 1999 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), October 25, 1999.

I also just heard that the military planes following said that the windows on the jet were "frosted over". Does this mean de- pressurization? Just one more little tidbit.

STRANGE.

-- Mr. Details (no@no.com), October 25, 1999.

This from FOXnews (link)

Report: Lear Jet Out of Control Over Midwest Updated 1.24 p.m. ET (1724 GMT) October 25, 1999 Five people aboard a Learjet that went out of control over Iowa Monday were believed dead and the plane likely to crash as soon as it runs out of fuel.

A well-known golfer was reported to be aboard, but that could not be confirmed.

The Lear 35 reportedly would exhaust its fuel supply at 1:15 p.m. ET.

Media reports said F-16s had sighted the plane heading north and could see its windows were frosted over, a sign of decompression.

FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro says the jet was over Iowa, heading north. Molinaro said he couldn't confirm broadcast reports that said officials are worried it might crash in South Dakota.

It was not known whether the military would shoot down the jet to avoid a crash. Mary Schiavo, former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, said the plane would have to be over U.S. soil to be shot down and President Bill Clinton would probably have to approve its destruction.

"The aircraft left Orlando, Fla. this morning bound for Dallas. The last communication we had is that it was over Gainesville, Fla.," Molinaro said.

He said there was "no radio contact at this time."

In Atlanta, FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said authorities believe five people were on board though she wouldn't say who they were. The plane was believed to be over South Dakota around midday Monday, she said.

"We can't speculate on what may or may not have happened," she said.

She said the FAA was tracking the aircraft and the military was sending up fighterjets to check out the situation.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), October 25, 1999.

Payne Stewart was "chipping" balls in the cabin and broke a window and they lost compression and all died.

Its funny!. C'mon, death is funny !.............

You people are too serious..

Thank you...... thank you very, much.

-- mortician (mortician@morgue.com), October 25, 1999.

It just crashed...msnbc..

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), October 25, 1999.

Payne Stewart, plus early reports described them as already deceased.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), October 25, 1999.

Well, the military is off the hook. What a strange, tragic story.

Now, wouldn't there be safety systems on board to keep this from happening?

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 25, 1999.

cnn

The civilian jet that was flying with a 'non-responsive' crew has crashed near Aberdeen in northeast South Dakota, Aberdeen police say. Details soon.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), October 25, 1999.

I guess planes do fall out of the sky.

-- A different forum regular (here@ho.me), October 25, 1999.

Different Forum Regular...

Thank you!! :)

-- Forum Regular (Here@y2.comx), October 25, 1999.

You know, whether true or not, I don't think that this is fair to Payne Stewart's family for the media to be tossing his name around before authorities could get a hold of his family. Nice job media...

-- You Knowwho (debunk@doomeridiots.com), October 25, 1999.

So strange. So terrible.

My uncle was killed coming back from a track meet (Drake Relays, 1968) when the pilot had a heart attack, fell face forward and caused a nose dive.

I always hate to imagine what the poor passengers feel when this type thing happens.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), October 25, 1999.

Interesting. Planes are crashing and so is the DOW.

-- Forum Irregular (@ .), October 25, 1999.

If Payne Stewart was in fact on that plane I cant help but wonder about the recent media flap over his Chinese impersonation and the apology he offered. Too weird to contemplate.

-- Truth (at@the.ready), October 25, 1999.

I don't think the LearJet has an automatic system to deploy a pressurized oxygen mask. In that case, you would have about 10 seconds to find, turn on, and put on an oxygen mask before falling unconscious. And don't forget - at 40,000 feet, the temperature is about -25 degrees F.

-- a (a@a.a), October 25, 1999.

I can't believe how you people rally around bad news! You are like flies on a garbage pile.

-- (@@@.@), October 25, 1999.

HEY TROLL ABOVE!!

Please do not use my e-mail address or I'll have the sysops delete your ass!

-- @ (@@@.@), October 25, 1999.

Defninitely true.

A huge loss. I'm speechless.

A friend of mine.........

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 25, 1999.

Just wondering , are there any imbedded chips in the cabin presurization systems

-- (freeman@interx.net), October 25, 1999.

CNN is now confirming that Payne Stewart was on board the aircraft.

Freeman: I would look first at operator error (improper cabin seal, etc) then at mechanical failure (metal fatigue, etc.) before questioning on-board computers. The plane was old (24 years ?).

The lack of a distress call seems to imply that the depressurization happened rather quickly, not giving the pilots time to react. Seems it might have happened shortly after the aircraft reach cruising altitude.

A terrible tragedy for all the families to be sure but I see no reason to suspect any association with Y2K...

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.ner), October 25, 1999.

Deano -

Sorry about your loss. He was a wonderful character and a talented golfer. He will be greatly missed.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), October 25, 1999.

Thanks Mac.

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 25, 1999.

From Drudge page:

http://www.tampabayonline.net/news/news1002.htm

http://www.tampabayonline.net/news/news1026.htm

http://www.tampabayonline.net/news/news1019.htm

Very sad.

-- Sam Mcgee (weissacre@gwtc.net), October 25, 1999.

Do you suppose it could have been a computer glitch that caused this accident?

-- wondering (wondering@wonderinggg.xcom), October 26, 1999.

I wouldn't be surprised if his family was very much aware that he was on that plane -- he was one of (two?) co-owners of it.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), October 26, 1999.

Question, the plane was at 45,000 feet apparantly, when contact was lost. Doesn't Standard Operating Procedure call for the pilot to power dive to, say 12,000 feet or less??

I know that a Lear has Divebrakes and can be safely pull AT LEAST 5 or 6 G's

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), October 26, 1999.

Mr. Stevens:

Rapid depressurization hits FAST (see above) and where it hits is the part of the brain that recognizes that something is wrong....

Hypoxic people are TOTALLY unaware that something is wrong until they wake up later (if at all).

Chuck a medic, a driver and a sysop

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 26, 1999.

Response to CNN - "Learjet out of control over the midwest"

St Peter: "And what did you do with your life, Mr...Stewart, was it?" ----"Yes, Stewart. Well, I hit little white balls into holes in the ground. All day long." ------ St Peter: "Come again?"

-- Spidey (in@jam.drain), October 26, 1999.

And I was admired the world over for it!
It was a good life.
Sympathies to those saddened by their loss.

-- Bluebeard (ship@wreck.sink), October 26, 1999.

Spidey and mortician

No class at all. Pathetic in fact.

You must be so proud.....

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 26, 1999.

I'm sure that this plane crash and JFK, Jr. was related to each other. It's a conspiracy.

-- wondering (wondering@wonderingg.xcom), October 26, 1999.

Deano,

My sympathies for the loss of your friend. I truly hope that, no matter what y2k may bring, we can all grow in our compassion and tolerance for others...otherwise we won't need a computer bug to bring civilization crashing down on our heads.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), October 26, 1999.

ROUK

I appreciate that tremendously. Payne Stewart was the type of person most of us wish we could be.

I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago when my son attended a junior clinic during the TPC. He was as genuine as they come. What struck me most was last year at the TPC - my son and I were watching him hit a few on the practice tee when Payne turns around, calls my son by name (a 10 year old he met 2 years ealier!) and asked him to hit a couple for him. Most definitely one of the biggest moments in any kids life. He will never forget it.

We both had an emotional evening last night. He said he felt like he lost a friend. Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 26, 1999.

Deano,

My sincere condolences to you, your son, and the families of those onboard. My son has fallen in love with that sport, and though we didn't have the privilege of coming into contact with Mr. Stewart, we have been touched by many other generous souls through it. I imagine spirits will be very low at the upcoming tournament.

-- flora (***@__._), October 26, 1999.

Spidey -

Payne Stewart exemplified honesty, enthusiasm, a passion for excellence, and a respect for tradition and traditional values. He did this in one of the most demanding professional sports around, and he did it with class and style.

I have every reason to believe that Saint Peter has already ushered him inside the gates, and that Payne Stewart has heard the words that many of us fervently desire to hear at the end of our days:

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), October 26, 1999.

flora

It's a game of gorgeous souls (mostly). Keep your son involved and he will be successful in more than just golf. It's that kind of game. Thanks for the kind words.

I'd like to see the Tour 'hold' a spot for him in some tournaments next year. IMO, the Tour won't be the same without Payne for quite some time. He was that kind of person.

Very well put Mac! I think the Good Lord already has a lesson lined up with him!

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 26, 1999.

Response to CNN - "Learjet out of control over the midwest"

Lots of people die every day. Why do celebrity deaths move you so? As for lack of class, I'm the first to agree. O mighty golf god, pray for us.

-- Spidey (in@jam.kulchur), October 26, 1999.

Spidey, you are correct in your statement that people die every day. I trust you didnt stay up all night to come to that conclusion. Also, you ask why folks are so moved when a celebrity passes on. Unlike your sorry self, Payne Stewart was a man of achievement and was admired by millions of fans throughout the world. Thats what made him a celebrity and newsworthy, in life and in death. I myself would be proud to have accomplished the things in life that he did and wonder why it is that people like yourself seem to be outraged when public sympathy pours forth in these situations. Could it be that you have such a low self-esteem that you feel compelled to vent against the winners of the world? In any caseshut the f**k up.

-- Truth (at@the.ready), October 26, 1999.