N250MKBlue Brent BEAR · 2008

On June 23, 2025, about 1021 mountain daylight time, a Murphy Aircraft Manufacturing Limited Moose airplane, N250MK, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Montrose, Colorado. The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 ferry flight.

The pilot had recently purchased the four-seat airplane, and the purpose of the cross-country flight was to transport the airplane to his home base at Buckingham Field Airport (FL59), Fort Myers, Florida. A Special Flight Permit, signed by a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR-T), was signed for the airplane to fly from Westwinds Airport (D17), Delta, Colorado, to FL59.

On the day of the accident, the airplane departed from D17, and flew to Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado, where the airplane was fueled with 100 LL fuel.

According to a witness, who was on the ramp at MTJ, he observed the airplane depart from runway 31. He observed a nose-up attitude during the takeoff, and it seemed that the airplane was not climbing and was losing altitude. The witness was unable to hear the engine noise emitted from the airplane due to the environmental noise at the airport.

Another witness, who was located outside in a residential area near the accident site, observed the airplane after it departed from runway 31. The airplane turned and flew in a northerly direction and the witness estimated the airplane was traveling about 50 mph and was about 150 ft above ground level. The airplane then turned east, continued to lose altitude, and impacted into bluffs behind a house. The witness did not hear any abnormal engine noises, nor did he observe any smoke or fire emitting from the airplane while it was inflight.

The left wing of the airplane impacted an elevated dirt driveway, and the airplane came to rest behind a home. A postimpact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed by the fire. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location for future examination. A GoPro HERO13 camera and a Garmin D2 Mach 1 Pro watch were found in the wreckage and were transported to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory.

The airplane was built from a kit in 2008. The kit manufacturer advertises the airframe as a “distant cousin” of the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver series airplanes. The airplane was equipped with a Vedeneyev M14P radial engine (360 horsepower) and a three-blade controllable pitch wood MT Propeller MTV-9-K-C/CL260-29. The airplane was also equipped with Montana Float Company 3500 Series amphibious floats.

The private pilot held ratings for airplane single engine land and sea. The airline transport certificated passenger held ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, in addition to commercial pilot privileges for airplane single engine sea. The passenger, who was actively employed as a commercial airline pilot, held type ratings for the Boeing 757 series, the Boeing 767 series, and the Douglas DC-8 series. He also held a flight instructor certificate and an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate.

The estimated density altitude for MTJ, near the time of the accident, was about 7,250 ft.