The 'Star Wars' actor is lucky as he escapes punishment after being clear by the federal Aviation Administration following investigation into an airport incident.
- Sep 26, 2020
AceShowbiz - Harrison Ford has been cleared by the federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after an investigation into his misinterpretation of an air traffic control operator's commands.
The "Star Wars" icon landed at Hawthorne Airport in Southern California back in April (20), and was asked to "hold short" on the runway due to other "traffic."
However, Ford misheard the instructions and proceeded to cross the taxiway, as the tower operator angrily chastised him.
In audio footage, the official snapped, "I didn't tell you to get across that runway now. I told you to hold short. You need to listen up."
Apologising for his mistake, the 78 year old replied, "Excuse me sir, I thought (you said) exactly the opposite. I'm terribly sorry."
Luckily, the only other traffic was another pilot practising touch-and-go landings on the other end of the runway, so there was no real danger of a collision.
An investigation into the incident was launched by FAA bosses, who cleared Ford after he completed a "remedial runway incursion training course," they said in a statement.
No additional action was taken by the FAA.
A representative for the actor said back then, "Mr. Ford crossed the airport's only runway in his aircraft after he misheard a radio instruction from ATC. He immediately acknowledged the mistake and apologised to ATC for the error."
The star is no stranger to FAA bosses - in February, 2017, he hit headlines after mistakenly landing his single-engine Husky on a taxiway instead of a runway at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, where he narrowly avoided a potential collision with an American Airlines passenger plane, which was preparing for take-off. He also escaped punishment.
