While the reason for a catastrophic plane crash in Colorado that killed a pilot and a passenger earlier this month is still being investigated, airport officials suspect an in-flight emergency shortly after takeoff may have contributed to the accident. Air traffic control radio tapes indicate that the plane’s door came open immediately after takeoff.
The Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron crashed in Broomfield on Saturday morning, May 17, after taking off from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. The two passengers on board were identified by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office as Eugene Knutson, 80, and James Gelaude, 74. While it is unclear who flew the plane, Gelaude has held a pilot’s license since 2010, according to a Federal Aviation Administration database, whereas Knutson does not.
“While the cause of the accident is under investigation,” an airport press release states, “early reports suggest the pilot experienced an in-flight emergency shortly after takeoff and attempted to return to the airport.” aircraft data from the aircraft tracking service FlightAware show that the jet was barely in the air for a minute, taking off at 10:01 a.m. and crashed at 10:02 a.m. while turning around.
According to air traffic radio recordings, the pilot appears to inform controllers that one of the doors opened suddenly.
“We’ll have to re-land. “We have the door popped open,” the pilot says in the recording. “We can hardly hear you, sir.” Some of the audio is distorted and indecipherable.
Two aviation professionals, both seasoned pilots and flight instructors, discussed the probability that the door caused the disaster.
Erika Armstrong, a pilot, flight instructor, and aviation safety expert in the Denver metro region, believes that small plane doors will almost always open in mid-flight.
“Very sad. Pilots, please be aware that an aircraft door or access panel may open unexpectedly. It is not IF, but WHEN. It’s noisy and shocking, and anything not secured down will fly out the door, but it’s no big issue! Fly the plane. “This pilot called ATC and reported that a door had opened and was turning back to the airport,” she wrote in a Facebook post on the day of the accident. “Imagine it happening right now.” Most airplane doors cannot be closed owing to differential pressure, so do not fight it.”
Robert Katz, a flying instructor in Dallas, told CBS News Colorado that he teaches his pupils about door openings and attempts to prepare them for the possibility. He stated that while doors popping open can be loud, they rarely interfere with flight.
“At that point, he’s not flying the plane, paying attention to the altimeter, and flight controls,” he told me. “This shouldn’t have happened.”
Residents around the airport have raised safety concerns with city, county, and airport officials. While some of these concerns have centered on lead in the fuel discharged by planes flying over their homes, airport officials have also acknowledged fears about plane disasters.
Erick Dahl, director of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, expressed his condolences to the families of Knutson and Gelaude and stated that he intends to respond to their concerns.
“We understand and share the concern this incident has raised among our neighbors, especially those who have questioned the safety of general aviation operations near populated areas,” according to a statement issued on Wednesday. “The airport takes every safety concern seriously, and we are committed to being transparent and responsive.”
Reference: Plane door opening after takeoff in Colorado may have caused deadly crash, early report suggests
