Harrison Ford piloted plane that wrongly crossed runway; FAA investigating
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an aircraft incident at a Los Angeles area airport last Friday involving actor Harrison Ford.
The FAA said in a statement that the “Star Wars” actor was piloting a plane that crossed a runway when another plane was trying to land.
The planes came within 3,600 feet of each other.
“The FAA is investigating an incident in which the pilot of an Aviat Husky taxied across the runway at Hawthorne Municipal Airport Friday afternoon while another aircraft was performing a touch-and-go landing,” the FAA said.
According to a statement released by Ford’s publicist, he crossed the runway after mishearing an instruction from air traffic control.
“He immediately acknowledged the mistake and apologized to ATC for the error,” according to the statement from publicist Ina Treciokas. ”No one was injured and there was never any danger of a collision.”
Ford’s statement said the purpose of his flight was “to maintain currency and proficiency in the aircraft.”
It was the latest of several similar incidents over the years for the 77-year-old actor, who collects and frequently flies planes and helicopters.
In 2017, regulators determined Ford could continue to fly without restriction despite narrowly missing a jetliner carrying 100 passengers and landing his small plane on the wrong stretch of tarmac at John Wayne Airport in Orange County in February.
An FAA investigation concluded that no enforcement action was warranted in the incident. The agency required only “awareness training,” which Ford has already completed.
Ford landed his single-engine Aviat Husky on Taxiway C at midday Feb. 13, 2017, after being cleared by air traffic control to use runway 20L. Before touching down, he flew very close to an American Airlines Boeing 737 waiting on another taxiway for instructions to take off.
Recorded communications between Ford and air traffic controllers reveal that the actor was apologetic and embarrassed by his dangerous landing error.
“I’m the schmuck who landed on the taxiway,” Ford told the tower after touching down. “I was distracted by the airliner, which was in movement when I turned to the runway, and also the wake turbulence from the landing Airbus.”
In March 2015, Ford crashed on the Penmar Golf Course in Santa Monica after his World War II military trainer lost power because of a carburetor problem. The actor sustained serious injuries, and the two-seat Ryan Recruit was heavily damaged.