Harrison Ford’s ‘textbook landing’ saved his life

By Tribute News on March 6, 2015 | Leave a Comment

Harrison Ford saved his own life with a ”textbook emergency landing” after his plane suffered engine failure yesterday.

The 72-year-old star suffered ”multiple gashes” to his head when he grounded his two-seater vintage World War II training plane on Penmar Golf Course in Venice, Los Angeles, and his quick reactions ensured he cheated death.

The actor made an emergency radio call requesting an ”immediate return” because his engine had ”failed” and while he was cleared for landing, he didn’t make it to the runway.

According to a report on Good Morning Britain, Harrison was ”alert and conscious” when emergency services arrived but suffered ”multiple gashes” to his head.

Harrison – who was flying solo – remains in hospital in L.A. but he is expected to make a ”full recovery” after the crash.

Film producer Ryan Kavanagh – who has a commercial pilot license and flies his helicopter to work daily – witnessed the actor’s life-saving landing and believes he ”did the impossible” by landing on the golf course, insisting it would have been much worse if he had tried to make it back to the runway.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: ”He literally had five seconds, and 99 per cent of pilots would have turned around to go back to the runway and would have crashed – it would have stalled, gone nose first and crashed. He would have minimal damages if the trees were not [on the golf course]. He made the correct turn that the plane was designed for with an engine out. Harrison did what the best pilots in the world would do.”

Several stars have sent well wishes to the actor – who got his pilot’s license 19 years ago – including his Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and ‘Star Trek’ star William Shatner.

Mark tweeted: ”Glad to hear Harrison is doing well. Get well soon. May all his future flights be green-screen!”

William wrote: ”Thoughts going out to Harrison Ford for a speedy recovery”

Harrison’s spokesperson said: ”Harrison was flying a WW2 vintage plane today which stalled 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.”

It’s not the first time Harrison has suffered pilot drama as in 1999 he crashed during a training flight in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, and in 2000 he crash landed his six-passenger plane in Nebraska after big winds pushed the aircraft off the runway.

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