CBC

Tue Nov 28, 5:38 pm

Report concludes how golfer died

The National Transportation Safety Board released a report Tuesday stating golfer Payne Stewart and five others died in their private jet because of a loss of cabin pressure and oxygen.

What investigators still don't know, is why.

Stewart and the other passengers died on Oct. 25 after the chartered Learjet 35 left Orlando, Florida and headed for Dallas.

RELATED STORY: Golfer Payne Stewart killed in plane accident

The plane flew on autopilot for hours before it crashed in a field in South Dakota. Military planes sent in to observe the aircraft reported the cockpit windows were iced up.

A transportation investigator told the safety board some parts of the pressurization system were too badly damaged to determine if they failed.

They added the plane's flow control valve was turned off – meaning the warm air from the engines used to pressurize the cabin was cut off.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), November 29, 2000

Answers

I am not sure about this airplane but I believe, if this is a reciprocating engine, the hot air is warmed by the exhaust manifold. A shroud covers the exhaust manifold and warms the air which is then directed into the cabin. The manifold could have a leak and asphyxiated the passengers.

-- David Williams (DAVIDWILL@prodigy.net), November 30, 2000.

Thanks for the possible explanation, David.

Have you followed the flt 1219 story? Pilots on an aviation discussion board are finding it truly astounding.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), November 30, 2000.