US EditionReport points to rotor problem in Arizona police helicopter crash that killed 2 during gunfight
The National Transportation Safety Board identified a main rotor mechanical failure as the likely cause of the crash that killed two Arizona law enforcement officers.
- On the night of Feb. 4, the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report said a main-rotor mechanical problem caused the crash that killed Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper paramedic Hunter Bennett, 28, and pilot Robert Skankey, 61.
- The aircraft had been circling to provide a bird's-eye view over an active shootout, slowing to almost a hover about 1,000 feet while police exchanged fire with suspect Terrell Storey, 50, who moved across roofs in a residential neighborhood.
- Investigators found three rotor blades 165 feet from the main wreckage and the fourth 650 feet away, with impact marks on the tail boom 135 feet from the wreckage, and captured 'we're going down,' on a police radio feed.
- A grand jury on Feb. 12 indicted the defendant on two counts of first-degree felony murder and dozens of other charges, with the next hearing scheduled for April 16.
- Investigators caution that a final NTSB report with definitive answers is likely a year or more away, while John Cox said the rotor system uncoupled very quickly, leaving transmission or engine involvement unclear.
17 Articles
17 Articles
No Bullet Holes Found in Arizona Police Helicopter Crash, Preliminary Report Shows
A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board investigative report found no bullet holes in the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) helicopter that crashed Feb. 4 while responding to an active shooter call. Pilot Robert Skankey and tactical flight officer Hunter Bennett lost their lives when the AZDPS Bell 407 helicopter, based in Kingman, went down shortly after 10 p.m. The March 10 report states that the helicopter completed a pre…
Report points to rotor problem in Arizona police helicopter crash that
A radio feed from a police helicopter captured two loud banging sounds and a voice saying “we’re going down,” just before it crashed, killing the two people on board, according to a preliminary investigation report released Tuesday. The crash the night of Feb. 4 killed Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper paramedic Hunter Bennett, 28, and pilot Robert Skankey, 61. Much of the helicopter’s fuselage including the cockpit and cabin burned in…
Associated Press News
Report points to rotor problem in Arizona police helicopter crash that killed 2 during gunfight
A preliminary report points to a significant mechanical problem before a deadly police helicopter crash that happened during a shootout in Flagstaff, Arizona.
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