Pilot Made A Radio Call To The BJC Control Tower Stating, “We Had A Door Pop, We Need To Come Back Around.” 

Location: Broomfield, CO Accident Number: CEN25FA178
Date & Time: May 17, 2025, 10:03 Local Registration: N4321Z
Aircraft: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On May 17, 2025, about 1003 mountain daylight time, a Beechcraft 95-B55, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

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 showed the airplane depart runway 30R from the Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC), Broomfield, about 1000. Shortly after rotation, the pilot made a radio call to the BJC control tower stating, “we had a door pop, we need to come back around.” ATC subsequently replied that the pilot could make “right closed traffic for 30R” along with asking the pilot are “you going to climb?”

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 elicit a response from the pilot stating that they were cleared to land runway 30R and further cleared the pilot to land the airplane on any runway. The airplane entered the right traffic pattern for runway 30R, as instructed, and started a continuous slow descent. During the right crosswind to downwind turn, the airplane slowed from 94 knots (kts) groundspeed at 1002:12 to 81 kts about 15 seconds later.

At 1002:49, surveillance camera video from a bus stop along U.S. Route 36, located near the right downwind traffic pattern leg, captured the airplane with the landing gear extended entering a left bank that increased in roll rate until the airplane was in an inverted left wing down and nose low dive at 1002:53. The surveillance video shows what appears to be an open door, consistent with the pilot’s report to ATC.

The accident site was in a flat open field about 1.5 nautical miles north of runway 30R. Impact marks and debris were consistent with the airplane impacting the terrain in an estimated 90° left bank and nose down attitude. During the impact, the airplane rotated counterclockwise 180° opposite the direction of travel and came to rest upright. The debris field was about 85 ft in length with evidence of a postaccident fire.

The main cabin door was separated from the airplane, located on the left side of the debris path, and the door handle was found in the open position (see Figure 2). The rear sloped latch, lower pin, and upper claw latch were found in the locked position. 

The components of the cabin baggage door thumb latch were located in the fuselage debris, and the latch was found in the closed and locked position. The nose baggage door could not be identified due to impact fragmentation of the forward fuselage. Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to their respective controls.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov