Harrison Ford’s Plane Crash-Lands at Golf Course, Son Confirms

During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Patrick Butler of the Los Angeles Fire Department said the patient was “alert, conscious and breathing.” He did not identify Ford as the pilot, but said the “patient was outside the plane when paramedics arrived on scene,” and that “it’s unclear if he was ejected.” Butler said the patient was in “fair to moderate” condition. 

Thank you all for your thoughts and good vibes for my dad.

— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6,

A recording from the Santa Monica Municipal Airport tower shows that Ford reported “engine failure” and requested “immediate return.” 

Ford’s publicist released a statement Thursday night: “Harrison was flying a WW2 vintage plane today which had engine trouble upon take off. He had no other choice but to make an emergency landing, which he did safely. He was banged up and is in the hospital receiving medical care. The injuries sustained are not life threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery.”

Two physicians who were on the scene treated the actor, and emergency personnel took Ford to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. A source connected to Ford’s family told NBC LA that the actor suffered gashes but was expected to fully recover.

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“It appears that he clipped the top of a tree and came to rest on the golf course,” Patrick Jones of the National Transportation Safety Board said during a press conference Thursday night. The organization continues to investigate.

Ford was piloting a Ryan PT-22 Recruit. The World War II-era single-engine plane crashed west of the airport shortly after it took off from Santa Monica Airport, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told NBC4.

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Ford’s rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A rep for the Venice Police Department confirmed the crash occurred but could not immediately release who was involved.

This is not the first crash for Ford, who also pilots helicopters. On Oct. 23, 1999, the actor was involved in a helicopter accident with his flight instructor in Lake Piru, Calif. An FAA spokesperson said at the time that Ford’s helicopter — a Bell 206L4 LongRanger — crashed 45 miles north of Los Angeles into a dry riverbed. Neither Ford nor his instructor were injured, but the chopper sustained serious damage.

Ford’s Star Wars co-star Peter Mayhew, who plays Chewbacca, tweeted his support for his colleague.

Here’s hoping my buddy comes away with just another scar to match his crooked smile. Speedy Recovery Harrison! http://t.co/c0wyzR9wPJ

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) March 5, 2015