Harrison Ford Refers to Himself as "Schmuck" in New ATC Audio
In response to multiple Freedom of Information Act requests, the FAA has released several tower exchanges between actor Harrison Ford and controllers at the Air Traffic Control tower at John Wayne Airport (SNA) both during and shortly after Ford landed his single-engine Aviat Husky on a taxiway instead of the runway last month. Also included in the recordings is a call between the tower and the captain of the nearby American Airlines Boeing 737, which was holding short of the runway and which Ford flew over at a very low altitude as he landed.
In the first exchange, which takes place as Ford prepares to land and then immediately after landing, the controller can be heard giving the actor clearance to land on Runway 20-L. But the star of "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" instead lands on Taxiway C, flying low over American Airlines Flight 1456 preparing for departure to Dallas (DFW) in the process.
After landing, Ford contacts the tower and asks "was that airliner meant to be underneath me?" on final approach and the controller informs him he "landed on Charlie," referring to Taxiway C. Surprised, Ford responds, "I landed on Charlie?" Shortly thereafter, the controller tells Ford to call the tower on a phone line to discuss a "possible pilot deviation."
Later, when the 74-year old actor contacts the tower by phone, he begins the conversation by identifying himself to the controller as "the schmuck who landed on the taxiway." Ford explains to the controller that he was "distracted by the airliner which was in movement when I turned to the runway, and also the wake turbulence from the landing Airbus." It's unclear if the aircraft in motion was the American aircraft or the Southwest flight that was lined up on the nearby runway readying for departure.
The controller, who is friendly the entire time even though it's not clear whether he immediately realizes the identity of the famous pilot, informs Ford he will report a "possible pilot deviation because you were cleared to land on the left." He also says he'll fill out some paperwork for FSDO, referring to the Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Standards District Office, which is responsible for reports of accidents, low flying aircraft and other operational issues. Ford responds that he "totally understands."
As the actor takes a few moments to retrieve his pilot license from his backpack, the controller tells him to "take your time, no big deal," to which Ford responds "it's a big deal for me." Ford, who has been a private aviator for many years and has been involved in several air incidents, clearly sounds aware of the gravity of the situation and embarrassed by the error throughout the conversation.
In a separate phone call after the near miss, the captain of the American flight tells a controller to note that when they check their radar tapes, "the tail of my airplane is 42 feet tall, so when he went by... you get an idea of how close it was."
The FAA is continuing to investigate the incident. The audio of all three exchanges can be heard here (you can hear Ford call himself a 'schmuck' about one minute in to the second recording):
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/accident_incident/2017-02-13/media/SNA_ATCT_Local_Control2.wav
ATC local control frequency during Ford landing
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/accident_incident/2017-02-13/media/SNA_ATCT_Recorded_Phone_Line(3)_Redacted.wav
Phone call between Ford and John Wayne Tower
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/accident_incident/2017-02-13/media/SNA_ATCT_Recorded_Phone_Line(2)_Redacted.wav
Phone call between the AA captain and John Wayne Tower
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.