A preliminary report points to a significant mechanical problem before a deadly police helicopter crash that happened during a shootout in Flagstaff, Arizona. The crash Feb. 4 killed 28-year-old Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper paramedic Hunter Bennett and 61-year-old pilot Robert Skankey. The National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released Tuesday says that just before the crash two loud banging sounds and “we’re going down" came in on the radio. So far, the NTSB is not drawing conclusions about the cause. The preliminary report details a mechanical problem with the helicopter's main rotor. A final report will take another year or more.
