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 The single-engine plane clipped a tree as it attempted to
return to Santa Monica Airport shortly after take-off, and the
pilot was "alert and talking" as he was taken to a local
hospital, Assistant Los Angeles Fire Chief Patrick Butler said.
Butler declined to confirm that Ford was on board the silver and
yellow aircraft, but Ina Treciokas, publicist for the
72-year-old actor, issued a statement confirming the details:
"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."
Ford's son, Ben, said on Twitter that he was at the hospital.
"Dad is OK. Battered but ok! He is every bit the man you would
think he is. He is an incredibly strong man."
A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said the pilot
of the plane reported losing engine power immediately before the
crash at 2:20 p.m. PST (5:30 PM EST) but that the agency would
conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of the
accident.
Butler said the pilot was initially tended to by bystanders
before paramedics responded and transported him to a local
hospital, where he was listed in fair to moderate condition.
Paramedics "initiated spinal immobilization, started an IV and
began all the necessary medical protocols that we do," Butler
said.
Celebrity website TMZ reported that Ford suffered multiple
gashes to his head and was bleeding profusely.
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Ford, best known as archaeological adventurer Indiana Jones in
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” and its sequels and as space hero Han Solo
in the “Star Wars” series, is a longtime pilot.
Carlos Lugo, 63, said he was playing golf at the Penmar Golf Course
when he saw a plane that had just taken off from Santa Monica
Airport lose power and turn around.
"When he flew over us we knew it was too late to make it back to the
airport," Lugo said.
The Ryan Aeronautical plane involved in the crash was built in 1942
and registered to the company MG Aviation Inc, according to FAA
online records.
In 1999, Ford and a flight instructor went down in a helicopter
crash north of Los Angeles, and the helicopter also was registered
to MG Aviation, according to a Los Angeles Times report at the time.
Ford suffered a broken leg last year while filming on the set of
Disney's "Star Wars: Episode VII" set in England, in which he is
reprising his role as Han Solo. Production on the movie was halted
for two weeks as he recovered.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy, Alex Dobuzinskis, Steve Gorman and Dan
Whitcomb; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Cynthia Johnston,
Sandra Maler and Ken Wills)
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