Roy Halladay's death, explained: What to know about 2017 plane crash that killed MLB legend

Daniel Mader

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In November 2017, nearly four years after he had retired from baseball, former MLB pitcher Roy Halladay died in a plane crash off the coast of Florida.

In the aftermath of the news, the sports world mourned the loss of the former ace, nicknamed "Doc," who was considered one of the most dominant, durable and electric pitchers of his era for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies.

In the years since his death, Halladay was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, while the Phillies and Blue Jays both honored his legacy in various ways.

Here's what to know about the plane crash that killed Halladay in 2017.

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When did Roy Halladay die?

  • Death date: Nov. 7, 2017

Roy Halladay died on Nov. 7, 2017 when his small, single-engine aircraft crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. 

How old was Roy Halladay when he died?

Roy Halladay was 40 years old when he died. He was born on May 14, 1977 and died on Nov. 7, 2017.

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Roy Halladay cause of death

A National Transportation Safety Board report stated in 2020 that Roy Halladay died of blunt force trauma and drowning following the plane crash, per CBS News. The NTSB officially determined the probable cause of the crash to be the "pilot's improper decision to perform aggressive, low-altitude maneuvers due to his impairment from the use of multiple psychoactive substances, which resulted in a loss of control."

Halladay crashed into roughly four feet of water, and federal investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure, per ESPN. According to witnesses, Halladay's plane impacted the water nose down with wings level at a 45-degree angle.

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Roy Halladay

Roy Halladay autopsy results

The NTS report in 2020 stated that various drugs were found in Halladay's toxicology testing. According to Aviation International News, the report found: Zolpidem (Ambien), a sleep aid; Amphetamine; Morphine; Fluoxetine (an antidepressant) and its metabolite norfluoxetine; Baclofen, a muscle relaxant; and Hydromorphone, an opioid pain medication. 

The report stated: "A review of the available personal medical records for the pilot indicated a history of substance abuse requiring inpatient rehabilitation twice between 2013 and early 2015 and diagnoses of chronic back pain, insomnia and depression, which were treated with various prescribed medications. The pilot's personal medical records for 2016 and 2017 were not available.”

An ESPN story in 2020 detailed Halladay's struggles with a painkillers addiction, depression and anxiety. His wife, Brandy, told ESPN that Roy Halladay first started using prescription opioids during spring training in 2012 to mask pain so he could continue to pitch. He told her during the 2012-13 offseason he'd become dependent on painkillers.

"That's when he realized, 'Holy s---. This is really a problem,'" Brandy told ESPN. "I was so terrified for him. He was terrified. ... He literally laid in bed for two and a half weeks, three weeks, and self-detoxed at home, which is so dangerous. But he just laid in bed, and told everybody he had the flu."

In October 2013, Halladay was admitted to inpatient drug therapy for the first time, but left early due to worries of it being revealed publicly, per ESPN. He retired from baseball in December 2013.

In 2015, Halladay entered inpatient drug treatment for a second time due to his opioids addiction, per ESPN. He "remained in rehab until early March and afterward started seeing a psychiatrist who treated him for depression, anxiety and attention deficit disorder" then able to "function with a daily combination of doctor-prescribed medications."

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Roy Halladay plane crash location

Roy Halladay's plane crashed into shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico near Pasco County, Florida. His A5 plane was found "about a quarter-mile from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline near his home, just north of Tampa, Florida," per AOPA.

The Pasco Sheriff's Office Marine Unit responded to the crash after a call around noon local time on Nov. 7, 2017, reporting that the plane had crashed upside-down into shallow water.

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Who else died in Roy Halladay plane crash? 

Roy Halladay was the lone occupant of the aircraft he was piloting when he crashed. There were no other passengers on board, and nobody else died from the crash.

What type of plane was Roy Halladay flying?

Roy Halladay was flying his ICON A5 Founders Edition amphibious aircraft when he crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. Weeks earlier, Halladay had tweeted about flying the ICON A5, comparing it to "flying a fighter jet."

Halladay reportedly purchased the plane around a month prior to the crash.

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Why did Roy Halladay's plane crash?

Halladay was doing "extreme acrobatics and had high levels of amphetamines in his system" when he lost control of his small plane, a NTSB report later said. According to ESPN, the maneuvers "put loads of nearly two-times gravity on the plane," and prior to the crash, Halladay "entered a steep climb and his speed fell to about 85 mph" before going into a nosedive.

The Pasco County, Florida, Sheriff's Office also confirmed that air traffic controllers had not received any mayday distress signals before Halladay's crash.

Per ESPN, witnesses to the crash said they saw "the airplane flying very low, between 5 and 300 feet, over the water." One witness said Halladay's plane climbed to about 500 feet before descending toward the water, and it appeared as if Halladay was trying to pull up before the crash.

Halladay had logged more than 721 hours of total flight time and more than 51 hours flying the plane he crashed by that point, per ESPN. In 2017, ESPN also released a simulation of Halladay's fatal flight that detailed his altitudes and flight path prior to the crash.

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Roy Halladay family

Roy Halladay was survived by his wife, Brandy Halladay and two sons, Braden and Ryan Halladay.

Brandy Halladay made a speech during Roy's posthumous Hall of Fame induction in 2019. In 2020, she also released a statement in response to the NTSB releasing a report on Roy's plane crash, saying "yesterday's NTSB report on Roy's accident was painful for our family."

"It has reinforced what I have previously stated, that no one is perfect. Most families struggle in some capacity and ours was no exception," Brandy Halladay wrote, per ABC 6. "We respectfully ask that you not make assumptions or pass judgement. Rather, we encourage you to hug your loved ones and appreciate having them in your lives. As a family, we ask that you allow Roy to rest in peace."

Braden Halladay played four seasons of college baseball as a right-handed pitcher. He spent two seasons at Penn State and two at High Point, also playing for Charlottesville in the summer. He was selected by the Blue Jays, his father's former team, in the 32nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. According to MLB.com, Braden then spent time working with the Clearwater Threshers before taking a job as a data apprentice with the Texas Rangers. 

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How was Roy Halladay honored? 

Halladay has been honored in various ways in the years following his death. On Nov. 14, 2017, a public memorial for the former pitcher was held at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida. Brandy Halladay spoke at the memorial, while a number of Halladay's former teammates attended it.

Halladay was also honored by his two former teams, the Blue Jays and Phillies, following his death. In 2018, the Blue Jays wore No. 32 patches on their jerseys and retired Halladay's former No. 32 in a pregame ceremony on Opening Day. A banner of Halladay's No. 32 was showcased in center field, and he enshrined on the team's Level of Excellence with his family present for the ceremony.

The Phillies announced in late 2017 that Halladay's former number, No. 34, would be suspended, then they later retired the number in a 2021 ceremony. In 2018, Philadelphia posthumously inducted Halladay into its Wall of Fame, with his wife, Brandy, delivering a speech for the ceremony.

Initially, the number retirement ceremony was supposed to come during the 2020 season on the anniversary of Halladay's perfect game, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler threw a two-hit complete game on the day of the Halladay ceremony, saying postgame that "I really enjoyed watching him growing up" and "I was lucky enough to pitch on Roy’s day, just tried to do my best, represent him while I was out there," according to That Ball's Outta Here.

In 2025, a scholarship in Halladay's honor was created, sponsored by Halladay Family Foundation. Per MLB.com, the selected student for the scholarship has to “demonstrate Halladay’s ability to [persevere], even when faced with challenges” and demonstrate the ability to “overcome those challenges to lead to a successful outcome. 

Before Game 2 of the 2025 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies had the Halladays throw out the first pitch on the anniversary of his playoff no-hitter.

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Roy Halladay Hall of Fame induction

In 2019, Roy Halladay was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He had already been inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame prior to his death in 2017.

Halladay's 2019 induction was his first year on the ballot. His wife, Brandy, accepted the honor, and a tribute video was played at the ceremony.

“This is not my speech to give,” Brandy Halladay said, per MLB.com. “I’m going to do the best I can to say the things I believe Roy might have said or would have wanted to say if he was here today. The thank yous could and should go on for days when you consider the impact so many people had on Roy’s career.”

“Putting it into words was tougher, because I think about it all the time,” she said. “Be sincere and be genuine and represent him in a way that I think he would have appreciated.”

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Daniel Mader

Daniel Mader is a Content Producer for The Sporting News. He joined SN in 2024 as an editorial intern following graduation from Penn State University. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, the Centre Daily Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Daily Collegian and LancasterOnline. Daniel grew up in Lancaster, Penn., with a love for baseball that’ll never fade, but could also talk basketball or football for days.