Harrison Ford was injured Thursday afternoon when his vintage single-engine airplane crashed on a golf course shortly after taking off from Santa Monica Airport.
The actor and private pilot reported engine failure and requested an immediate return about 2:25 p.m. PT, according to his conversation with air-traffic controllers. He failed to reach the runway, crash-landing instead on the approach to the 8th tee.
"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,'' Ford's publicist Ina Treciokas said in an emailed statement.
"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," she said.
There was no fire. The open-cockpit plane was painted with vintage markings and looked as if it could have come from one of the movies in which Ford played adventurer Indiana Jones.
"Dad is ok. Battered, but ok!" Ford's son, Ben, a chef in Los Angeles, tweeted from the hospital. "He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man."
After I found out that Ford was okay I have to admit that my very next thought was "Damn I hope he already filmed all of his scenes for the new Star Wars movie." Because you know I am so selfless and every thing.
However I really was concerned, as Harrison Ford has been in some of my favorite movies ever, and I am a big fan.
But even that concern did not make me a little frustrated that almost half of yesterday's news was focused solely on this one incident. And that was after the first half of the day was focused on another plane mishap at LaGuardia Airport.
Look I think that both of these events were newsworthy and warranted some coverage, but not nearly the amount that they received.
Having said that once I learned that Harrison Ford was relatively okay, I thought back to this scene from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
I know, I know, I'm going to hell.
