Aviation enthusiast and pilot Harrison Ford was involved in a plane crash Thursday afternoon near Santa Monica Airport (SMO). According to an NBC report the plane clipped some trees shortly after takeoff from the Santa Monica Airport before crashing onto the golf course. Mr. Ford was stabilized at the scene and was reported to be in fair to moderate condition.
Harrison Ford’s son Ben has confirmed through Twitter (@ChefBenFord) that his dad is in the hospital and is “Battered, but doing okay.”
The Natiobal Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported that the plane was a Ryan Aeronautical ST-3KR and that they are investigating the accident. They have yet to release any information as to the cause of the accident. Audio from LiveATC.net’s Santa Monica Tower feed revealed that Ford indicated that he had lost power from his engine and needed an immediate return to the airport.
The NTSB will be holding a press conference at 6PST at the site of the accident.
Harrison Ford is an avid aviator that is well known for his love of all things aviation and his passion for flying both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. In addition to being the owner of multiple aircraft, Mr. Ford has also assisted in mountain rescues with Teton County Search and Rescue, as well as serving as chairman of EAA’s Young Eagles program replacing General Chuck Yeager.
Mr. Ford was also involved in the crash of a Bell 206L4 during autorotation training in October of 1999. In that accident the helicopter sustained significant damage but neither the instructor nor Mr. Ford was seriously injured.
The Ryan Aeronautical ST-3KR is the definitive model of the Ryan ST series aircraft. This model utilized the more powerful Kinner R-5 engine with more than 1,000 being built during WWII. While the majority were delivered to the US Army Air Corps, there were numerous other countries that utilized them as military trainers.
Stay connected to NYCAviation in the coming days to get updates on the story as they develop.
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