The tragic crash of a police helicopter in Arizona last month, which occurred during the pursuit of an active shooter, might be attributed to a mechanical malfunction, as suggested by a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report published on Tuesday.
On February 4, in Flagstaff, Arizona Department of Public Safety’s trooper-paramedic Hunter Bennett and aviation supervisor pilot Robert Skankey lost their lives in the incident.
According to the initial findings by the NTSB, there is no indication that the Bell 407 helicopter, referred to as Ranger 56, was struck by gunfire. The report also noted that the aircraft had no reported issues, as confirmed by its recent maintenance logs.
During the operation, while the helicopter was circling to maintain visual on the suspect, it suddenly “began a rapid rotation to the right,” the report detailed.
Just before the crash, trooper-paramedic Hunter Bennett had radioed, stating, “We’re going down,” as confirmed by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The report mentions, “The rotation was accompanied by an unidentified verbal sound over the radio, followed by two loud banging noises emanating from the helicopter.”
Pilot Robert Skankey was also killed in the crash on Feb. 4 in Flagstaff, Arizona. (Arizona Department of Public Safety)
As the helicopter “descended rapidly toward terrain,” Bennett radioed, “We’re going down,” the report said.
While the report stopped short of a definitive cause, it said data from the helicopter’s engine control unit showed the main rotor speed suddenly dropped from 97% to 0% in less than a second.
This image from a preliminary NTSB report shows the helicopter’s flight path and airspeed before the crash. (National Transportation Safety Board )
At the same time, the NTSB said the engine torque dropped from 60% to 2%, “consistent with an instantaneous removal of the rotor load from the power turbine.”
An examination of the wreckage found “angular cuts” to the tail rotor driveshaft, which also had “deep grooves with blue paint transfer consistent with contact with a main rotor blade,” according to the report.
The NTSB is working to determine the official cause of the crash. Reports typically take one to two years to complete.
Police had responded to a domestic violence call around 8:30 p.m. before engaging in a two-hour gunfight with the suspect, who fired at officers with a semi-automatic rifle as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.
The suspect, later identified as 50-year-old Terrell Storey, remains in county jail. He faces dozens of charges, including two counts of first-degree murder.
Skankey, who served in the United States Marine Corps and joined the DPS in 2021, is survived by his wife and four children. Bennett joined DPS in 2022 and is survived by his wife, Breanna, FOX10 Phoenix reported.
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