DPS identifies 2 killed in Flagstaff helicopter crash, vows to honor their lives

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Public Safety on Friday released the names of two helicopter crew members who died in a crash in Flagstaff while responding to an active shooter call.

Hunter Bennett, a trooper/paramedic, and Robert Skankey, a helicopter pilot, were providing an aerial view to help the Flagstaff Police Department with a domestic violence call on the ground that progressed into a shooting on Wednesday, according to DPS Director Col. Jeffrey Glover.

“No words can adequately express the sorrow that we feel,” Glover said during a Friday press conference. “Today we mourn and we remember and we recommit ourselves in honoring these lives through integrity accountability and continued service to our public.”

No update on what caused the helicopter crash that killed 2 with DPS

He did not provide information about how the helicopter crashed.

“This was in our Bell 407 helicopter, Ranger 56, out of Western Air Rescue in Kingman, which was responding to an active shooter at the request of Flagstaff Police Department,” Glover said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause.

“The Ranger in this incident was last inspected on Jan. 29 of 2026, and if any lessons emerge from this tragedy, we will take them seriously and act on them decisively as safety is part of our culture,” Glover said.

He said they were called around 9 p.m. to respond from the Kingman area over into Flagstaff. They arrived around 10 p.m. and crashed around 10:20 p.m., he added.

The FAA said there was a fire after the crash.

DPS paramedic and pilot had long, successful careers

Skankey, a pilot, began his career in 1988 when he joined the United States Marine Corps.

“His distinguished military career, including roles as a pilot in command, presidential support pilot and operation safety officer,” Glover said.

After retiring from the military in 2010, Skankey flew for Air Methods Corporation in Kingman as an emergency medical service pilot.

By the time he was hired by DPS on May 8, 2021, he had accumulated more than 5,100 flight hours. He was promoted to aviation supervisor on June 8, 2024, continuing his service with Western Air Rescue.

Bennett, the trooper and paramedic, joined DPS on June 11, 2022, as a cadet state trooper. He graduated as top overall cadet in the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy, earning the highest scores in academics and physical fitness.

“We ask that their loved ones be given privacy and compassion during this profoundly painful time,” Glover said.

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