Harrison Ford recovering after crash-landing small plane

Hollywood star Harrison Ford is expected to make a full recovery after crash-landing his plane on a golf course in Los Angeles.

The Star Wars and Indiana Jones hero, 72, was flying a vintage plane when it lost engine power shortly after take-off from Santa Monica Municipal Airport.

#LATEST: #HarrisonFord 'hurt in plane crash' | http://t.co/LqeSRpXgmb (GM) pic.twitter.com/q3B0evASHS

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) March 6, 2015

The plane crash-landed on a golf course near the airport, where Ford houses the craft. He was pulled from the plane and given initial help by doctors who happened to be playing golf on the course, said LA fire officials. He was then taken to hospital.

“He had no other choice but to make an emergency landing, which he did safely,” said Ford’s spokeswoman Ina Treciokas. “He was banged up and is in the hospital receiving medical care.”

His condition was described as fair to moderate. His injuries are not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, Ms Treciokas said. No one on the ground was hurt.

Ford took off from the LA area airport at 2pm local time on Thursday. About 20 minutes later, he told the tower he had engine failure and was returning immediately, according to a recording posted byLiveATC.net.

The plane had been flying at about 900m and hit a tree on the way down, according to witnesses and officials.

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

— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) March 6, 2015

Ford had a cut to his forehead and scraped arms, but it was not clear what internal injuries he may have had, said Los Angeles assistant fire chief Patrick Butler. “He wasn’t a bloody mess. He was alert. He had good vitals,” Mr Butler said.

The plane, a yellow 1942 Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR, was upright, with damage mostly confined to the front.

“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,” said Christian Fry of the Santa Monica Airport Association.