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Harrison Ford injured in plane crash at Santa Monica golf course
A plane that crashed on Penmar Golf Course in Santa Monica on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
(
Dylan Kohler
)
A small plane crashed into a golf course just west of the Santa Monica airport on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
(
NBC L.A.
)
"Star Wars" actor Harrison Ford, 72, was injured when his small vintage airplane crash landed at the Penmar Golf Course in Santa Monica on Thursday.
The actor was known to fly a vintage PT-22 out of the Santa Monica airport, which was apparently the plane that crashed on Thursday.
Ford's talent agency UTA released a statement on the crash Thursday evening, confirming that Ford was the pilot:
"Harrison was flying a WW2 vintage plane today which experienced engine failure 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 can be seen flying that plane here:
Ford was taken to a local hospital with "moderate" injuries and left the scene conscious and breathing, according to officials in an afternoon press conference.
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Officials said Ford was transported to a local hospital and left the scene conscious and breathing.
"He suffered basically some moderate trauma, and he was alert and conscious," a fire official said. While Ford was initially reported as being in serious condition, officials later said he had suffered moderate injuries.
Ford's son Ben confirmed that his father was at the hospital but appeared to be OK.
Ford can apparently be heard saying "engine failure" in audio from the Santa Monica airport control tower, requesting "immediate return" to the airport. Airport control can be heard saying that the airport's runway was closed while the emergency was being dealt with.
Listen to the audio here:
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Ford, who also pilots helicopters, has crashed before, according to reports from multiple outlets. Ford was involved in a helicopter crash with his flight instructor in Lake Piru on Oct. 23, 1999, according to the Hollywood Reporter. At the time, he crashed into a dry riverbed 45 miles north of L.A., damaging the helicopter but leaving Ford and his flight instructor injury-free.
Ford's "Star Wars" co-star Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, tweeted about the reports upgrading Ford's condition:
The plane remained mostly intact following the crash.
Ford already filmed his appearance in the latest Star Wars film, set to debut this December. He'd injured himself last year shooting the film when a hydraulic door fell, damaging his ankle and delaying shooting.
Golfer Jeff Kuprycz said he heard the crash about 800 yards away.
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"We were on the second hole and we heard a plane started to sputter overhead and it was a chrome, U.S., looked like a World War II plane, and then immediately started banking to the left to return back to the airport which is right next to the golf course," Kuprycz said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department received multiple 911 calls around 2:30 p.m., Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott told KPCC.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and L.A. Police Department are working together to determine the cause of the crash.
The Santa Monica Fire Department originally responded before handing it over to the Los Angeles City Fire Department.
An ambulance and fire truck responded to the scene.
This story has been updated.
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