The skies are friendly for Harrison Ford once again.
The “Star Wars” actor won’t face discipline for a February incident during which he mistakenly attempted to land on a taxiway, the actor’s attorney told TheWrap on Monday.
Stephen Hofer, President of the Aerlex Law Group of Santa Monica, California, today released the following statement regarding his client, pilot Harrison Ford:
“The Federal Aviation Administration has notified Mr. Harrison Ford that the agency has closed its inquiry into Mr. Ford’s landing at the Santa Ana, Orange County Airport on February 13, 2017. The FAA conducted a full investigation into the matter, including an interview with Mr. Ford, and determined that no administrative or enforcement action was warranted. Mr. Ford retains his pilot’s certificate without restriction. In closing the matter, the agency acknowledged Mr. Ford’s long history of compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations and his cooperative attitude during the investigation.”
Hofer added, “Mr. Ford has held a pilot’s certificate for more than 20 years, has logged more than 5,000 hours in the air, and has never been the subject of an FAA administrative or enforcement action.”
“The FAA has completed its investigation of the incident in which a pilot landed on a taxiway at John Wayne Airport on Feb. 13, 2017,” an FAA spokesman told TheWrap in a statement. “The FAA does not comment on cases involving individual airmen. Any letters the FAA issued in connection with this case can be requested through the Freedom of Information Act.”
According to NBC News, the actor had been instructed to land on runway 20-L at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California when he aimed for a taxiway instead and passed over an American Airlines 737 full with 110 passengers and six crew members.
Ford allegedly said on an air traffic control recording, “Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?” — to which controllers informed Ford that he had landed on a taxiway rather than the runway. Landing on a taxiway is a violation of Federal Aviation Administration safety rules, reported NBC.
Typically, when a deviation results from factors such as flawed procedures or simple mistakes, the FAA uses tools including counseling and training to ensure compliance going forward.
This isn’t the first time the actor has been involved in an air-related incident. In 2015, he crashed his plane at the Penmar Gold Course in Venice, California. A spokesperson for Ford had told TheWrap that he “had no other choice but to make an emergency landing, which he did safely.” Ford had just taken off from nearby Santa Monica Airport and requested a return before the aircraft crashed, and the spokesperson had said his injuries were not life-threatening.