NTSB zeroes in on cause of helicopter crash that killed 2 officers

The fatal crash of a police helicopter during the pursuit of an active shooter in Arizona last month may have been caused by a mechanical issue, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released Tuesday.

Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper-paramedic Hunter Bennett and aviation supervisor pilot Robert Skankey were both killed in the crash on Feb. 4 in Flagstaff.

The preliminary NTSB report said there was no evidence that the Bell 407 helicopter, known as Ranger 56, was hit by gunfire. It also stated there were no known issues with the aircraft, citing recent maintenance records.

At one point as the helicopter circled above the scene to keep the suspect in sight, the helicopter "began a rapid rotation to the right," according to the report.

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"The rotation coincided with an unidentified verbal sound on the radio, followed by two loud banging sounds from the helicopter," the report stated.

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.

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."

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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.