Harrison Ford Update: ‘Star Wars’ Co-Star Carrie Fisher Comments On Plane Crash

Luckily for both the actor and his cadre of devoted fans, Harrison Ford is recovering nicely after a plane crash sent the 72-year-old performer to the hospital this week. Now, some of his friends and “Star Wars” co-stars are making public their thoughts on the matter.

Ford -- who has had a pilot’s license since at least 2002, according to USA Today -- was flying a 1942-vintage plane Thursday when engine failure forced him to make an emergency landing on the Penmar Golf Course in Venice, California. His son tweeted his father was going to be just fine, saying that he’s “battered, but OK.” Since then, the actor’s friends have begun to engage in some levity, given the apparent avoidance of what could have been a really dire situation.

“I know you have incredible bounce back, please take a bounce break for a while. Can I drive next time?” Carrie Fisher told People magazine in a message meant for Ford. Both Fisher and Ford will be reprising their roles in the original “Star Wars” trilogy in the film “Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens,” which will be released Dec. 18.

Oddly enough, the 58-year-old actress wasn’t the only “Star Wars” character to poke light fun at her friend and co-star. Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, took to Twitter to wish him well a lot and mock him only a little.

A slightly more somber Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) wished Ford a speedy recovery, as well. After all, Chewie can’t pilot the Millennium Falcon on his own.

Devoted fans of Ford will know that this isn’t the first time the actor has survived an aviation crash. Ford has been an avid flight enthusiast for years, as noted by NBC News. He had his first close call in 1999 when he crash-landed a helicopter in California while doing flight training with an instructor. The following year, he had to make an emergency landing at Lincoln Municipal Airport in Nebraska. He escaped with only minor injuries in both cases.

“Harrison was flying a WW2 vintage plane ... which had engine trouble upon take off,” a Ford representative said in a statement (via Entertainment Weekly). “He had no other choice but to make an emergency landing, which he did safely. He was banged up and is in the hospital receiving medical care. The injuries sustained are not life threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery.”

It has been an exciting but painful year for Ford. After agreeing to reprise his role as Han Solo in the J.J. Abrams-directed “Star Wars” movie to be released at the end of the year, the actor injured his leg on the London set of the film. Luckily, it appears he’ll be back on his feet again in time for the premiere of the new flick.