# NTSB CEN25FA178: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N4321Z, Broomfield, CO, May 17, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: May 17, 2025, 10:03 local (16:03 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.934344, -105.11679 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9343&lon=-105.1168&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Continental Aerospace Technologies, Textron Aviation, FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200166 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA178 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200166/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA178 ## Preliminary report 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 (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Surveillance camera video still image. 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. Figure 2. Interior side of main cabin door 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 theforward fuselage. Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to their respective controls. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4321Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4321Z-2025-10-07), registration cancelled 2025-10-07, S/N TC-1463, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A) - Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-1463 - Year built: 1972 - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Cedocs - Registered owner: Cedocs - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BJC, Broomfield, CO - Destination: Sidney, NE - Airport: BJC, Rocky Mountain Metro - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Handheld GPS ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KBJC, 2 nm away - METAR: KBJC 171545Z 10006KT 10SM SCT120 14/02 A2998 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250517006049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250517006049A), May 17, 2025: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), Boulder, CO, Destroyed, 2 fatal. On may 17, 2025, a Beechcraft, model 95-55 (T42A) departed kbjc Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot radioed that they had a… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.