Harrison Ford is lucky to be alive following the crash of his World War II-era plane.
Harrison Ford was fighting to control his crippled airplane as he said, “Engine failure! Immediate return!”
Ford had just taken off from Santa Monica Airport when his engine died. He attempted to fly back but couldn't make it.
The Indiana Jones star crashed the vintage World War ll-era plane on the eighth hole fairway of a nearby golf course.
A caller to 911 said, “One plane down on the golf course, Santa Monica.”
The 72-year-old actor survived the wreck, although he was covered in blood and badly injured.
Spinal surgeon Dr. Sanjay Khurana was playing on the golf course and helped rescue Ford from the shattered plane.
Dr. Khurana told INSIDE EDITION, "It was traumatic. You could hear the ground shake. There was an individual in the rear seat, head forward, I couldn't tell who it was. Obviously in a lot of pain, moaning."
Dr. Khurana knew he had to get Ford out because he knew of the danger due to the leaking fuel.
He said, "As the volunteers came in, we unbelted him. A bunch of guys were able to lift him up while I was stabilizing the neck."
As rescue crews took over, they could be seen working on the stricken star. Ford was conscious as he was put on a stretcher and rushed to a hospital in Santa Monica.
Dr. Khurana said, "There were some big lacerations. There was a good amount of bleeding."
A golfer saw the plane heading for disaster and shot video of the incident. Golfer Eddie Aguglia told INSIDE EDITION, “He just missed a residential area, thank God. It sputtered and when it sputtered, instantly, our attention was instantly to look up and at that point it was heading West, just past us. On the second sputter, it stalled."
In addition to monitoring Harrison Ford's condition, investigators on the scene want to know what caused this plane to crash.
Ford broke his arm and suffered gashes on his head. He actually clipped a tree as his plane came in for the crash landing.
His son, Ben, tweeted: "At the hospital. Dad is ok. Battered, but ok! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man."
At the hospital. Dad is ok. Battered, but ok! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man.
— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015
Ford is being praised for not hitting homes in the neighborhood. He was very close to Santa Monica Airport's runway three, which is where he was headed before he crashed on the golf course.
The drama is a real-life version of a scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where he crash lands into a farm.
Investigators were poring over the wreckage last night.
Ford's fellow Star Wars alum Mark Hamill tweeted: "Glad to hear Harrison is doing well. Get well soon."
Glad to hear Harrison is doing well. Get well soon. May all his future flights be green-screen!
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 6, 2015
Star Trek's William Shatner tweeted: "Thoughts going out to Harrison Ford for a speedy recovery."
Thoughts going out to Harrison Ford for a speedy recovery.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 5, 2015
Ford achieved legendary status as Han Solo in the Star Wars franchise. In real life he's a skilled pilot. A YouTube video shows him at the controls of a light aircraft.
Last year, he broke a leg on the set of the new Star Wars movie. He also survived a crash while he was piloting a helicopter in 1999.
Now, after this latest brush with death, he's lucky to be alive.
