The FAA has concluded that no further “enforcement action was warranted” in regard to Harrison Ford’s recent landing incident at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. According to a statement from Stephen Hofer, the attorney for the 74-year-old actor and pilot, the agency conducted a full interview with Ford, and ultimately it was determined that the actor would retain his pilot’s license “without restriction.”
In February, Ford mistakenly landed his Aviat Husky on the taxiway at John Wayne Airport, and, in the process, he flew over an American Airlines jetliner carrying 110 passengers. No one was injured and the passenger flight took off without issue soon after. In the audio of Ford’s call to the John Wayne tower, he humbly referred to himself as the “schmuck who landed on the taxiway.”
While the FAA won’t comment on cases involving individual pilots, Hofer wrote that “the agency acknowledged Mr. Ford’s long history of compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations and his cooperative attitude during the investigation. 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 didn’t let Ford completely off the hook, however, as the actor was assigned awareness training, which he has already reportedly completed.
Hofer is also “firmly convinced” that Ford’s celebrity status did not factor into the FAA’s decision.
