The Region - News from Oct. 19, 1986

The fatal helicopter crash during filming of the “Twilight Zone” movie near Saugus was caused by a complex series of events that “indicate poor judgment” by nearly everyone involved, a Fire Department report written in 1983 concluded. The report--which repeats allegations made by other investigative agencies--was recently turned over to defense attorneys by the prosecutor as part of the discovery process in the involuntary manslaughter trial of director John Landis and four associates. The report, written in January, 1983, by Battalion Chief Gary Nelson and obtained by United Press International, states that “special-effects personnel did not brief actors and technicians on what to expect from explosions; special-effects personnel did not have a good view of all persons endangered by explosions; special-effects personnel consumed alcoholic beverages at the location (and) there may have been last-minute changes to the planned explosions.”