T. C.’s Island Hopper Helicopters

[Onehoof]

There were a total of three different 500D's and one 500C helicopter that depicted T. C.’s helicopter, during Magnum P.I.'s 8 Seasons (really 7 1/2):

N58243 - S1
N1095A - S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6
N4943T - S6, S7, S8

and possibly
N9267F (500C with fake registration as N58243

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The First Crash: N58243

On 19 November 1980, during the filming of the first season's sixth episode, "Skin Deep", N58243 crashed into the ocean, ejecting the cameraman Robert Van Der Kar, up into the spinning rotor blades, killing him, and injuring the pilot, Robert Sanders, when the low-flying helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean, due to pilot error. It was replaced with N1095A for the next 5 1/2 seasons.

At one point, a 500C, (with the Y tail), appeared onscreen briefly, with the fake registration of N58243 (this was strange because it had the same registration number as the 500D that had crashed). It's possible that early on they had intended to depict a replacement helicopter with the same registration number. I have not yet, been able to find this 500C’s real registration number. It was only used as stock footage. It is possible that it could have been N9267F, a 500C, used in two other episodes, in temporary peel paint, until they got N1095A, as a permanent replacement, for N58243.


https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=9844

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N1095A was THE most used 500D used on the series, with a tenure that spanned six seasons, (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and part of S6)! N1095A was THE most used 500D on the show, going into use after N58243 crashed during Season One, all the way up until Season 6. N1095A is THE only surviving helicopter from the t.v. series.







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N4943T (with the white window vent, on the back door) took over towards the end of S6 and it was used for S6, S7 and S8. N4943T was the only Island Hopper Helicopter that had its registration number, on the tail boom, instead of the upper cowling. It first appears towards the end of S6, N4943T (with the white window vent, on the back door) took over and was used for S6, S7 and S8. N4943T was the only Island Hopper Helicopter that had its tail number on the tail boom.

The Second Crash: N4943T

In 1988, one week after Magnum P.I. was canceled and had stopped filming, on Friday, May 13, N4943T, crashed into a drainage ditch, because of a runaway trim motor.
Former Magnum P.I. pilot, Steve Kux was seriously injured, almost severing his left arm, and trapped under water, he would have drowned, if a man nicknamed, “Tiny”, hadn’t lifted the helicopter. Kux’s injury to his left arm was so severe that he was never able to fly again.


https://youtu.be/szvk-USnhYc


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Note: There has been some confusion over the years because the Hughes 500D N58428's logbook says, “Mag PI film work” and “MPI equipment trans.” These notations in 428's logbook indicate that it was used as a camera, chase helicopter and to transport equipment around for the Second Unit, in remote filming locations in California, for the "Two Birds of a Feather" episode. It was never necessary for N58428 to be peel painted to depict TC's helicopter with its elaborate orange, yellow and brown, bar paint scheme because Jetcopters always provided N58243, N1095A, N4943T to depict T.C.'s helicopter.

On Two Birds of a Feather episode, Season 3, episode 19, a majority of that episode was filmed in California, on the same ranch also used to film “To Snare a Wolf” episode of AIRWOLF. There were some extensive aerial sequences of Two Birds of a Feather, with a Stearman bi-plane, also used in the aforementioned AIRWOLF episode. N58428 which at the time was owned and operated by Jetcopter's Incorporated, owned by Peter McKernan, Sr. Jetcopters was way too busy using 428 extensively in Hollywood, on virtually every t.v. show from the 1980’s (ie. Knight Rider, AIRWOLF, Streethawk, The A-Team, Scarecrow and Mrs King, T.J. Hooker, Hardcastle and McCormick, The Fall Guy, Simon & Simon etc.). It most famously portrayed the adversary helicopter flown by Malcom McDowell’s character in Columbia Pictures 1983 movie, "Blue Thunder". When N58428 was not being used as an onscreen helicopter, it was being used behind the scenes as a camera ship.

Again, the episode, “Birds of a Feather” was mostly filmed in California, and N58428 was used as a camera ship, for that episode and possibly some others. Hence; “Mag PI film work and MPI equipment trans", in its logbook, indicating its use as a camera ship, that people have misconstrued. It is understandable that the people who have owned N58428 over the years, have mistakenly jumped to the conclusion that it had been used as T.C.'s helicopter. Logically, it is a Hughes 500D and its logbook has notes that say "Mag PI film work and MPI equipment trans", but the reality is that is NOT what these notes were referencing. Yes. N58428 did do film-work for Magnum P.I., but it was just a camera helicopter and used to haul equipment around.

But N58428 is a very famous Hollywood helicopter, it's probably THE most prolific helicopter and famous MD500 that ever flew in Hollywood history, but contrary to popular misconception, it was never used as T.C.’s helicopter on Magnum P.I. because of its extensive use in so many Hollywood productions in California, Jetcopters could not afford to ship it to Hawaii. But N58428 will remain one of my favorite Hollywood helicopters. N58428 is still flying today, for Helicopter Minut-Men, based in Columbus, Ohio, but flying all over the country doing power line work and mosquito spraying.


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The only surviving Magnum P.I. helicopter today, that is still flying, is N1095A, which was THE most used helicopter, for 6 1/2 seasons. Its airworthiness certificate is good until June 2021!
N1095A, C/N 500701D, has had numerous registration number changes over the years (N31AS, N1095A, N700DG, N3TJ, N3NT, N503SH, N717MA),

But today, N1095A is registered as N717MA, and being flown by AIR 2, based out of Timonium, Maryland. But it travels around the country for Air 2, doing powerline work.
So, keep looking up. If you ever see Air 2, doing power-line work in your area, the white, and green, MD500D, helicopter, buzzing overhead, could possibly be T.C.’s old Chopper N1095A (now N717MA), so take plenty of pictures!

Mahalo!






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Other research references that back up my research:

https://books.google.com/books?id=Nh6TD ... 0d&f=false




http://magnum-mania.com/Articles/The_Chopper.html

[Onehoof]

This is tough to watch footage of the crash of N4943T, which was used on Magnum P. I. during S6, S7 and S8.

https://youtu.be/szvk-USnhYc

[Onehoof]

N4943T’s accident report.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=132722

[Nifty911]

Anyone notice during the chase scene at the end of Distant Relative how close the skid comes to touching the ground? A few feet lower and that could have been disaster.

It also appears in the opening sequences.

[Mr. Keoki]

Anyone notice during the chase scene at the end of Distant Relative how close the skid comes to touching the ground? A few feet lower and that could have been disaster.

It also appears in the opening sequences.

That's what makes it totally bad ass IMO. Flying right on the edge.

**I also like the beginning of black hawk down when they fly between the buildings and the pilot drops off a team on the roof, just touching the skid on the roof. So much finesse.

[Onehoof]

You can scrape helicopter skids on the ground. That is why they are called SKIDS!

When we do autorotations, the helicopter can typically slide 10 or 15 feet before it stops.

Typically the rotor craft flight manual does not recommend run on (sliding) landings any faster than 30 knots. But landing skids, and their struts are designed to absorb some pretty hard impacts, and design to skid on the ground.

Granted, if you do a bunch of run on landings and/or autorotations onto concrete, it will eat up your skid shoes prematurely, but that is what they are designed for.

If you watch Deadly Encounter, Larry Kirsch the stunt pilot accidentally scrapes a skid, of the Hughes 500C, he was flying low level down a Mexican, street, and but he quickly recovered.

So, it depends on how fast they were going? Hollywood is good at exaggerating speeds of machinery with camera tricks. Also, when in close proximity to the ground aircraft appear to be moving faster.

I will have to check this movie out. I have never heard of it?

Here are some good videos showing helicopters making running landings, on their skids.

https://youtu.be/RHvgCZwrERQ




https://youtu.be/E2a9H8Xw8Mo

[Nifty911]

You can scrape a skid on the ground. That is why they are called SKIDS!

When we do autorotations, the helicopter can typically slide 10 or 15 feet before it stops.

Typically the rotor craft flight manual does not recommend run on (sliding) landings any faster than 30 knots. But landing skids, and their struts are designed to absorb some pretty hard impacts, and design to skid on the ground.

Granted, if you do a bunch of run on landings and/or autorotations onto concrete, it will eat up your skid shoes prematurely, but that is what they are designed for.

If you watch Deadly Encounter, Larry Kirsch the stunt pilot accidentally scrapes a skid, of the Hughes 500C, he was flying low level down a Mexican, street, and he quickly recovered.

So, it depends on how fast they were going? Hollywood is good at exaggerating speeds of machinery with camera tricks. Also, when in close proximity to the ground aircraft appear to be moving faster.

I will have to check this movie out. I have never heard of it?









https://youtu.be/RHvgCZwrERQ




https://youtu.be/E2a9H8Xw8Mo

Learn something new everyday.