Accident Overview
On February 22, 2019, at approximately 0945 central standard time, a Beech 65 airplane, registration N62069, impacted terrain near Colby, Kansas. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Bemidji Aviation Services, Inc., conducting a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Shalz Field Airport (CBK) in Colby, Kansas, and was destined for Denver, Colorado. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff, the crew hatch door located next to the left front seat unexpectedly opened. The pilot attempted to close the door without success. While focusing on closing the door, the pilot reported being unable to fully control the airplane normally, mainly in heading and pitch. Consequently, he initiated a precautionary landing back to CBK. While maneuvering at low altitude to stay in visual flight rules conditions (overcast ceiling at 300 ft), the airplane's airspeed decreased, and the wing tips began dipping back and forth. The pilot retracted the landing gear and applied full engine power to try to regain airspeed. Unable to gain airspeed and losing altitude, the pilot anticipated impact. He kept the wings level and the nose in a slightly pitch-up attitude. The airplane then impacted snow-covered terrain with the landing gear retracted.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the airplane by the operator revealed that the left wing and left aileron were bent. No evidence was noted that the crew hatch door malfunctioned during the flight.