Pilot dies in Prescott Valley crash on deadly day for AZ aviation
Rey Covarrubias Jr., Arizona Republic
Sat, February 7, 2026 at 7:09 PM UTC
2 min read
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Pilot dies in Prescott Valley crash on deadly day for AZ aviation
A single-engine plane that crashed north of Prescott Valley earlier this week, killing its pilot, was flying from Southern California to Prescott when it went down, according to federal aviation officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a Socata TB21 crashed near Prescott around 8 p.m. on Feb. 4 and that only the pilot was on board. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FAA.
Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a downed plane in Prescott Valley, near Poquito Valley Road, the Sheriff's Office said.
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With the assistance of Native Air, authorities located the wreckage in an open field, the Sheriff’s Office said. The pilot, identified only as a 64-year-old man, was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Hunter Bennett, a trooper-paramedic for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were killed in a helicopter crash in Flagstaff on Feb. 4, 2026. Their photos are displayed at the press conference on Feb. 6.A photo of Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, is displayed at a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett (photo at back) and Robert Skankey.Hunter Bennett, a trooper-paramedic for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were killed in a helicopter crash in Flagstaff on Feb. 4, 2026. Their photos are displayed at the press conference on Feb. 6.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett (photo at back) and Robert Skankey.Photos of Hunter Bennett, a trooper-paramedic for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, are displayed at a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett (photo at back) and Robert Skankey.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.Photos of Hunter Bennett, a trooper-paramedic for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, are displayed at a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey (photos at back).Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jeffrey Glover gives a press conference on Feb. 6, 2026, to provide updates about a fatal DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff. The two people killed were identified as Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A memorial was growing the evening of Feb. 5, 2026, outside the Arizona Department of Public Safety office in Flagstaff.A sign thanking police officers and first responders hangs on a fence on Feb. 5, 2026, near Mark Lane and Mikey Drive in Flagstaff in a neighborhood that police described as a battleground. An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter crashed Feb. 4, 2026, southwest of Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter crashed Feb. 4, 2026, southwest of Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. This photo of the Flagstaff neighborhood was taken Feb. 5.
DPS helicopter crash in Flagstaff kills 2
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Hunter Bennett, a trooper-paramedic for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Robert Skankey, a civilian pilot for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were killed in a helicopter crash in Flagstaff on Feb. 4, 2026. Their photos are displayed at the press conference on Feb. 6.
Flight tracking data showed the plane departed from Santa Ana, California, and was headed to Prescott Regional Airport before the crash. The data does not indicate what caused the plane to go down.
The plane was headed to Prescott Regional Airport, which serves general aviation traffic and commercial flights to Phoenix, according to FlightRadar24, a public aviation tracker.
Investigators have not released information about what led up to the crash or the name of the victim.
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The Socata TB21 Trinidad is a single-engine, four-seat aircraft commonly used for personal and cross-country flights, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
This is a developing story, check back to azcentral.com for more details.
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Rey Covarrubias Jr. covers business and breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@azcentral.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.
