Firefighter Feared Blast Damage to ‘Twilight’ Copter, Court Told

The firefighter in charge of safety for “Twilight Zone: The Movie” testified Thursday that he had feared special effects explosions might hurl debris into a helicopter’s mechanism during filming of a spectacular battle scene but was assured the pilot knew how to handle it.

George Hull said he voiced his concerns shortly before the fatal accident in which the helicopter, flying through the explosions, crashed atop actor Vic Morrow and two children, killing all three.

The firefighter, testifying in the Los Angeles Superior Court trial of director John Landis and four associates, was asked on cross-examination why he did not seek out the pilot and warn him of these fears.

‘Was Well Prepared’

“The crew convinced me that this man had flown around explosives many times, and he was well prepared for what he was doing,” Hull said. He said he talked to a crew member because the pilot, defendant Dorcey Wingo, was off conferring with members of the production staff.

Hull also testified that he later learned that the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that flying debris from explosives was the cause of the crash.

The defense team disputes this, contending unexpected metal reactions to heat caused the crash.

Wingo, Landis, associate producer George Folsey, special effects supervisor Paul Stewart and production manager Dan Allingham are charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Morrow, 53; Myca Le, 7, and Renee Chen, 6.