Harrison Ford is reportedly doing "ok" after sustaining injuries when his vintage single-engine plane crashed on a golf course shortly after taking off from Santa Monica Airport.
Ford was originally thought to be in critical condition following the crash, but his son Ben Ford, a chef in Los Angeles, provided an update about his father's status via Twitter.
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.
— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015
Thank you all for your thoughts and good vibes for my dad.
— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015
A more official statement from Ford's publicist Ina Treciokas provided a bit more clarity.
"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,'' Treciokas said.
"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."
The 72-year-old actor has a long history of piloting planes and helicopters (and unfortunately crashing them as well), and audio of Ford talking to the Santa Monica Airport control tower reveals him reporting engine failure and requesting an emergency return to the airport. Unfortunately, he failed to reach the runway, crashing-landing instead.
Federal NTSB investigators were on the scene investigating the cause of the crash, but did refer to Ford as an "experienced pilot."
Thursday's crash marks the second high-profile accident for the high-profile actor. Last July, shooting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was temporarily shut down when Ford broke his leg while filming a scene that involved the door of the Millennium Falcon. In addition to his return as Han Solo in the new Star Wars film, Ford is also expected to star in a sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 cult science-fiction noir film Blade Runner.
