Harrison Ford, who may be better known as Indiana Jones from the hit movie series landed his small aircraft on a taxiway instead of the runway back on February 23rd. Now the FAA has released the recordings of the radio transmissions with controllers from this incident.
Flying a single-engine Aviat Husky the famous 74 year old actor got confused and flew over the top of a waiting American Airlines passenger airplane before landing on the taxiway at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.
“I’m the schmuck who landed on the taxiway,” Ford told the tower shortly after touching down in his single-engine Aviat Husky on Feb. 13. “I was distracted by the airliner which was in movement when I turned to the runway and also the wake turbulence from the landing Airbus.”
Air traffic control had cleared Ford to land on Runway 20L, but he came in on Taxiway C after flying low over an American Airlines Boeing 737 that was holding short of the runway and minutes from taking off. Taxiway C runs parallel to the runway. – Los Angeles Times
Want to listen to the actual air traffic control radio communications? Go Here to the FAA!
Irene Willard, the tower manager told the captain of the American Airlines airliner there was less than 100 feet of separation between the airplanes. “It was not a good position for him (Ford) to be in,” she said.
Harrison Ford reportedly began his love of being a pilot when he first took flying lessons back in the 1960’s.
Featured image by Getty
