Beech 95-C55 accident near Watkins, Colorado, October 18, 1990
On October 18, 1990 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Beech 95-C55, registered N2757T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1990 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-C55 · all 95-C55s on the register
- Registration
- N2757T · no longer on the register · serial TE-361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SECOND TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON RUNWAY 35. HE SAID HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND OBSERVED A GREEN LIGHT (SAFE) INDICATION. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WHEELS-UP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT DISCLOSED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN THE UP POSITION AND THE FLAP CONTROL WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT SAID THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH AND HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND 'BEGAN TO CLEAN UP THE AIRPLANE' FOR TAKEOFF. HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED WHEN HE BEGAN TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND 'THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BECOME AIRBORNE AGAIN.' ACCORDING TO A BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION SPOKESMAN, THE 95-C55 BARON HAS A SQUAT SWITCH ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR THAT PREVENTS INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION SO LONG AS WEIGHT IS APPLIED TO THE STRUTS. WHEN THE WEIGHT IS REMOVED, THE GEAR WILL RETRACT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 418 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C/CB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Denver Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:57 pm from BKF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.