Two people were killed on May 17, 2025, when a small plane crashed shortly after taking off from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colorado.
According to the North Metro Fire Rescue District (NMFRD), the aircraft departed the airport around 10 a.m. local time. Moments later, the pilot attempted to return to the airport due to an in-flight issue. The plane ultimately crashed in a field near the airport.
Officials confirmed that the aircraft was a Beechcraft 95 and that there were two individuals on board. Their identities have not yet been released. The crash ignited a small grass fire at the scene, which firefighters were able to quickly extinguish. 
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims from this tragic accident,” said officials from NMFRD in a public statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have both launched investigations into the crash. The FAA confirmed the crash occurred approximately five minutes after takeoff. Read more news visit our Website.
Further details emerged from radio traffic reviewed by CBS News. At around 10:01 a.m., the pilot failed to respond after being alerted to another nearby aircraft. Eventually, the pilot informed the control tower, “We’re going to have to go back and re-land. We’ve got the door popped open… We can hardly hear you, sir.”
The tower granted permission for the plane to return and land, but after that message, the pilot did not respond further. Despite repeated attempts to communicate, air traffic controllers received no more replies.
Moments later, another pilot reported to the tower: “They just went down north of 36.”
The crash has drawn attention to emergency response protocols and small aircraft safety. Local authorities and aviation experts are now examining what caused the aircraft to fail so soon after takeoff and why communication was lost.
The FAA and NTSB will release a full report following their investigation.
This tragic incident adds to a string of recent small aircraft accidents across the country, underscoring ongoing concerns about mechanical reliability and in-flight emergencies in general aviation.
