July 7, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Son of Harrison Ford issues statement of thanks

Ford -- continuing to recover from injuries he suffered when his single- engine Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR lost power and crashed on a Venice golf course -- is being lauded for skillfully landing the aircraft and minimizing damage to the surrounding community.(Thinkstock)
Ford — continuing to recover from injuries he suffered when his single- engine Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR lost power and crashed on a Venice golf course — is being lauded for skillfully landing the aircraft and minimizing damage to the surrounding community.(Thinkstock)

The son of Harrison Ford issued a statement of thanks on Saturday to those expressing concern since the famed actor was injured while crash landing a vintage plane shortly after taking off from Santa Monica Airport.

“We want to thank you all for your concern,” Ben Ford said via Twitter. “Dad has the best care possible, on the mend and of strong mind body & spirit.”

Ford — continuing to recover from injuries he suffered when his single- engine Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR lost power and crashed on a Venice golf course — is being lauded for skillfully landing the aircraft and minimizing damage to the surrounding community.

“He did an excellent job,” veteran flight instructor Liz Destaffany told the Los Angeles Times. “You try to do a controlled descent, maintain airspeed and look for a safe place to land.”

Christian Fry of the Santa Monica Airport Association told the Los Angeles Daily News that Ford — a licensed private pilot since 1996 — did an excellent job.

“I would say that this is an absolutely beautifully executed – what we would call – a forced or emergency landing, by an unbelievably well-trained pilot.”

Meanwhile, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board removed the wreckage of the plane from the crash site Friday with the help of city firefighters.

The agency is continuing its investigation to determine what caused the plane to go down at 2:25 p.m. Thursday on a fairway at Penmar Golf Course, 1233 Rose Ave. The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting the NTSB.

Ford, 72, was the only person aboard the restored, single-engine plane. The Ryan planes were built in the 1930s and ’40s and were used to train military pilots from the United States and other countries.

Area residents said this was the second time in recent years a plane crashed at Penmar, a nine-hole Los Angeles city golf course.

Los Angeles Fired Department Assistant Chief Patrick Butler said the actor was outside the plane when crews arrived and was taken to a hospital, suffering “moderate” trauma. He was alert and conscious while being treated at the scene, fire officials said.

“Normally, the outcomes are fatalities, so we are very thankful,” he said.

Ford’s publicist said in a statement the star was banged up, but his injuries are not life-threatening and he’s expected to make a full recovery.

Ben Ford posted on his Twitter account shortly after the crash that his father was “OK. Battered, but OK! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man. Thank you for all your thoughts and good vibes for my dad.”

Ford underwent surgery for a broken ankle and pelvis, according to family sources quoted by media outlets camped outside Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood. A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment, or even confirm that Ford was being treated there. However, several media outlets have reported seeing Ford’s wife, actress Calista Flockhart, visiting the facility.

Dr. Sanjay Khurana, a spinal surgeon who had been playing golf, told reporters he saw the plane clip a tree before coming down. He said he and others examined Ford, who had suffered soft-tissue injuries, made sure he was stable and helped him out of the plane.

NTSB Investigator Patrick Jones said the wreckage was being moved to an area hangar so it can be examined. Jones described the plane as an “award- winning” restoration.

A preliminary report will likely be released in two weeks to a month, but the full process leading to a final report probably will take about a year, Jones said.

“We go back to the basics. The initial report was a loss of engine power,” Jones said. “We are going to look at that but we are going to look at it all, at everything — weather, man, the machine.”

The airplane landed right-side up and was largely intact, but left gouges on the fairway.

Ford had just taken off, experienced engine trouble and was circling back to the airport when he crash-landed on the golf course, according to the NTSB.

The longtime aviation enthusiast, who has even piloted helicopters in search-and-rescue situations and who owns several aircraft, is active with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Experimental Aircraft Association.

He crashed a helicopter in the Lake Piru area near Santa Clarita during a training flight in 1999, and a six-passenger plane he was piloting in 2000 was hit by wind shear and crash-landed in Lincoln, Nebraska. He and his passenger emerged from that crash unhurt.

The plane that crashed Thursday is registered to MG Aviation Inc. of Camden, Delaware, according to the FAA’s online aircraft registry.

Thursday’s crash is likely to reinvigorate the debate over the future of Santa Monica Airport. Residents and some city officials have been pushing to close the airport, citing noise and safety issues. Federal authorities have insisted, however, that the city is required to keep it open.

Ford has allied himself with the effort to preserve the airport, contributing almost $26,000 to the campaign for a pro-airport ballot measure that went down to defeat in November.

Valerie Davidson, who has lived in Santa Monica for 25 years, told the Times that Ford “flies in and out of here all the time. He’s not a friend of the residents of this neighborhood.

“I’m pleased he’s OK, but this might be a wake-up call,” Davidson said.

Last year, Ford suffered a broken leg on the set of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” delaying filming on the much-anticipated sequel.

In the days since the crash, cell phone footage taken by golfers on the course where Ford crash landed has been posted online showing the plane clipping a tree as it plunges downward.

Jones urged others with cell phone or other video related to the crash to upload it to the agency’s website at www.NTSB.gov.

Related Posts

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...

Los Angeles City Council Cracks Down on ‘Disaster Tours’ in Pacific Palisades

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

City Council Bans Commercial Bus Tours in Burn Zone Amid Community Backlash Tour buses that have been operating in fire-ravaged...

Tow Truck Scammers Target Crash Victims Across L.A.: Authorities Warn of Fraud at Accident Scenes

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officials Urge Drivers to Stay Alert After Collisions as Rogue Operators Demand Inflated Fees  Motorists involved in vehicle accidents are...

Woman Dies After Melrose Store Altercation: LAPD Launches Homicide Investigation

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Critically Injured Young Woman Died July 2, After She was Badly Beaten at Work  The death of a woman critically...

CHP Officer Dies in Culver City Crash: Medical Emergency Suspected Behind Tragic Incident

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officer lost consciousness while transporting a suspect before crashing into a tree California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano died early...

L.A. Beaches Brace for Holiday Rush: Over 1 Million Visitors Expected This Fourth of July

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

County Officials Urge Beachgoers to Pack Out Their Trash and  Monitor Water Quality More than one million visitors are expected...

(Video) A visit to New York Bagel & Deli in Santa Monica

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Authentic NY Style Bagels with Extra Creamy Cream Cheese and Multi-Cultural Desserts. Located at 2216 Wilshire Blvd. A visit to...

Hot Dogs & Rosé: Something About Her and The Culver Hotel Roll Out Summer Specials

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Westside Venues to Serve Playful Bites and Seasonal Sips For the Holiday Weekend A bold new offering is making its...

NeueHouse Hosts Bold One-Night Dinner With Culinary Phenomenon Diego Argoti

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Acclaimed Chef Brings Culinary Mischief With a Five-Course Tasting Experience. NeueHouse Hollywood will host an exclusive, one-night-only dining event on...

(Video) Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Go To Homefrontbuild.com For More Information @home_front_build Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles Go...

405 Crash Near the Getty Sends Three to Hospital: Two Seriously Hurt Near Site Where LAPD Sgt. Died

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Early Morning Multi-Vehicle Collision Shut Down Lanes Near Brentwood Three men were injured and traffic was snarled for hours following...

Elephants Take Over Beverly Hills: Global Art Exhibit Makes Final Stop at Beverly Gardens Park

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Traveling Installation of Life-Size Sculptures Crafted by Indigenous Artisans Arrives in Beverly Hills Life-size sculptures of Indian elephants have arrived...

Pentagon Orders Troop Drawdown in LA: 150 National Guard Members Reassigned to Wildfire Duty

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Federal Forces Begin Partial Withdrawal From Protest Response as California Leaders Push Back U.S. Northern Command announced Tuesday that 150...

California Highway Patrol Deploys for Independence Day Enforcement Surge

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

All Available Officers to Hit California Highways for Holiday Weekend As Californians gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the...

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...