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Pilot and Trooper Die As Arizona DPS Helicopter Crashes
Federal investigators are examining mechanical, human and environmental factors to determine what caused an Arizona DPS helicopter to crash during a Flagstaff shootout, killing two crew members.
Arizona Helicopter Crash by Arizona DPS
Federal crash investigators are working to determine what caused an Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter to crash in Flagstaff last week during an exchange of gunfire between law enforcement and an armed domestic violence suspect, resulting in the deaths of two crew members.
DPS helicopter Ranger 56 went down during an intense shootout with 50-year-old Terrell Storey on the night of Feb. 4. The pilot, 61-year-old Robert Skankey, and paramedic, 28-year-old Hunter Bennett, were killed in the crash.
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Cary Grant, an assistant professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said aircraft accident investigations rarely point to a single cause. “There’s usually not a single cause of an accident. There are usually multiple causes that cause aircraft to come down,” Grant said in an interview with Arizona’s Family.
Grant said investigators will examine the helicopter in much the same way they would investigate an airplane crash. One area of focus will be whether gunfire played any role, though he described that scenario as unlikely. “It’s probably not likely in this case unless it was an absolutely perfect bullet that took out the pilot or a critical component of the aircraft,” Grant said.
Investigators may also rely on data from a flight recorder, if the helicopter was equipped with one. Grant noted that not all helicopters carry black boxes that record flight data and cockpit audio, but if available, such information could help determine the pilot’s actions before the crash. “That information could be very valuable to the investigators piecing together, you know, was the pilot making aggressive maneuvers,” he said.
The distribution of debris at the crash site is also expected to be closely examined. Grant said where and how wreckage is found can indicate whether the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure or broke apart before hitting the ground. “Was this aircraft intact when it hit the ground? Or were there pieces of it somewhere else signifying that perhaps there was an in-flight structural breakup,” he said, adding that helicopters can experience structural damage if the rotating blades flex and strike other parts of the aircraft.
In addition to mechanical and environmental factors, investigators will assess whether human error contributed to the crash as the investigation continues.
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on information provided by Arizona’s Family and comments from aviation experts as federal investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter crash. Details may evolve as the investigation progresses.
