How Many Plane Crashes Has Harrison Ford Survived? (And Is He Still Flying Today?)

From Han Solo and Indiana Jones to Rick Deckard, Harrison Ford's many film personas are famous for their near-death escapades. But even in real life, you can't tell Ford the odds; the 80-plus year old former carpenter is among the elite group of celebrities who can fly a plane. In fact, he has been a licensed pilot since 1996, with his training going back to the 1960s. Ford owns some expensive cars and has an even more impressive collection of aircraft, some of which he loans out or flies himself on wilderness rescue missions. But even with his skills and experience, Ford has had some scary close calls. Between 1987 and 2020, Ford has been involved in two crashes and a total of six aviation incidents. The first mishap came in August 1987 when the Gulfstream III jet he was sharing with Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke from Paris to Los Angeles was diverted to Maine due to an engine fire, but the plane landed safely despite damage to the landing gear.

Ford's more recent crash came in early 2015, when he broke his arm, ankle and pelvis after crashing his 1942 Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR on a golf course in Venice, California. Fortunately, he came out of his earlier incidents unscathed. During a 1999 helicopter training flight near Los Angeles, Ford lost control while performing an emergency maneuver and crashed in a dry river bed. The aircraft was destroyed, but Ford and his instructor walked away unhurt. The next year, a gust of wind blew his Beechcraft Bonanza off the runway in Lincoln, Nebraska while he was taxiing. Likewise, neither Ford nor any of his six passengers were injured. Two years after his harrowing golf course crash, Ford landed on a taxiway at John Wayne airport instead of a runway and was ordered by The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to take an awareness course. The FAA also investigated him in 2020 when he crossed an active runway at Hawthorne airport after mishearing a command from air traffic controllers.

While most people would be terrified to get behind the controls of a plane after a single incident, Harrison Ford's half-dozen disastrous air experiences haven't affected the man who embodies adrenaline on screen. He not only continues to fly, but encourages new pilots to take to the skies. Ford told GQ in 2024, "Pilots are making a wonderful living when, 15 years ago, they weren't doing so well at the beginning of their careers. But it's a great career, and I just encourage people that are interested in it to give it a go." However, while Ford's bravery is comparable to that of his heroic characters, the multiple incidents have had a definite impact on his behavior. 

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, Ford discussed his admiration for fellow actor, pilot, and multiple plane owner Tom Cruise, but admitted that the 2015 crash in particular was rough on him and his family. "I changed a lot of things in my life," he explained. "I certainly don't want to have to recover from that kind of accident again." Ford's dance with danger may not be for everyone, but it undeniably solidifies his status as an action legend, on screen and off.