Actor Harrison Ford is “lucky to be alive” according to the NTSB after being forced to crash-land a small private single-engine plane Thursday shortly after 2 pm local time on a golf course in Venice, California.
Ford’s son, chef Ben Ford, told CNN his father was “battered but okay” following the crash.
Ford reported to Santa Monica Municipal Airport’s air traffic controller the plane’s engine had “lost power” and that he was attempting to turn around and return to Los Angeles, according to an NTSB official who briefed media Thursday night.
The pilot was “absolutely lucky” to have survived the crash, the NTSB official said. A fire department official said medical personnel stabilized Ford’s spine before transporting him to the hospital.
Ford, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, is listed in fair condition.
“This pilot was an experienced pilot,” the NTSB official said. “This was a vintage plane,” he added. “I’m not sure what idiosyncrasies it might have had.”
The cause of the engine failure is not clear; an investigation has been launched.
