Accident Summary
On May 17, 2025, at about 1003 mountain daylight time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 (twin-engine) was destroyed in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight and Initial Events
According to family members, the owner was providing a cross-country familiarity flight to the pilot-rated passenger, who had recently purchased a similar airplane. Preliminary air traffic control (ATC) radar data indicated that the airplane departed runway 30R from Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC) at about 1000. Shortly after rotation, the pilot radioed the BJC control tower stating, “we had a door pop, we need to come back around.” ATC replied that the pilot could make “right closed traffic for 30R” and asked, “are you going to climb?”
Accident Sequence
Airport surveillance camera footage and radar data showed the airplane stopped its initial climb at 6,024 ft mean sea level (msl), about 400 ft above ground level, shortly after passing the departure end of runway 30R. ATC made numerous attempts to contact the pilot, clearing him to land on runway 30R or any runway. The airplane entered the right traffic pattern for runway 30R, as instructed, and began a continuous slow descent. During the right crosswind to downwind turn, the airplane slowed from 94 knots groundspeed at 1002:12 to 81 knots about 15 seconds later.
At 1002:49, surveillance camera video from a bus stop along U.S. Route 36, located near the right downwind leg, captured the airplane with landing gear extended entering a left bank that increased in roll rate until the airplane was in an inverted, left-wing-down, nose-low dive at 1002:53. The video also showed what appeared to be an open door, consistent with the pilot’s report to ATC.
Impact and Examination
The accident site was in a flat open field about 1.5 nautical miles north of runway 30R. Impact marks and debris indicated the airplane struck the terrain in an estimated 90° left bank and nose-down attitude. During impact, the airplane rotated counterclockwise 180° opposite the direction of travel and came to rest upright. The debris field was about 85 ft long with evidence of a postaccident fire.
The main cabin door was separated from the airplane, located on the left side of the debris path; the door handle was found in the open position. The rear sloped latch, lower pin, and upper claw latch were found in the locked position. The cabin baggage door thumb latch was found in the closed and locked position. The nose baggage door could not be identified due to impact fragmentation. Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to their respective controls.