Harrison Ford seriously injured in plane crash

Star Wars actor Harrison Ford is in hospital after crashing his small vintage plane onto a California golf course.

Witnesses say the 72-year-old was bleeding profusely from his face when rescuers arrived at the crash scene on Penmar golf course around 2.20pm (local time).

The actor was alert and conscious when firefighters pulled him from the World War II era plane and onto a stretcher bound for UCLA trauma center.

Ford was the only person in the plane.




It was initially reported that the actor was in critical condition, but at a press conference authorities later changed their statement to say he sustained only moderate injuries.

The actor's son Ben Ford said his dad was "battered, but ok".

"He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man," he tweeted.

It appears the Indiana Jones star may have been landing when the incident happened, since witnesses saw him flying around the area earlier. Penmar is just a block from the tarmac at Santa Monica Airport.

A witness told Daily Mail Online that she spotted Ford's vintage Ryan Pt-22 Recruit flying along Venice and Santa Monica Beach just before the crash.

"He was flying pretty low and it was a distinctive yellow color," the witness said.

"He then went inland over Venice and I saw him turn round, the engine sounded fine and the weather was absolutely clear and fine.

"He seemed to be enjoying a little sightseeing as when he was flying along the beach I noticed him tip his wings so that he would have a better view of the beach. He was buzzing around the area for ages."

Twitter user Alex Miller posted that his mother was golfing on the hole where Ford crashed and rushed to aide the actor who "seemed OK".

According to TMZ, two doctors who happened to be at the golf course rushed over to treat the actor.

At a press conference, the Los Angeles Fire Department did not identify the pilot as Ford but said the patient was "alert, conscious and breathing".

The "patient was outside the plane when paramedics arrived on scene", the spokesman said. "It's unclear if he was ejected."

The crash comes just months after Ford was airlifted from the set of the upcoming Star Wars movie after suffering an ankle injury.

This isn't the first time that the actor and aviation enthusiast has been involved in a crash.

During a routine training flight in October 1999, a helicopter piloted by Ford crashed near Santa Clarita. Ford and his instructor escaped the crash with few injuries, but the helicopter was seriously damaged.

In an interview with the Herald in 2006, Ford spoke of his passion for flying.

"I love the focus that it obtains when you are contemplating a little short dirt strip up in the mountains where you have to fly between two trees and down a gully to get there, and there is no way out.

"I am trying to make it sound dangerous but it's not. It's all about the mitigation of risk, not engaging it."

Twitter is alight with messages from friends and fans, wishing Ford a speedy recovery.


- NZME