Actor Harrison Ford underwent investigation this February after flying his private jet over an American Airlines passenger aircraft. The investigation ensued after Ford mistakenly landed his plane on the John Wayne Airport taxiway, instead of the designated runway.

   On Monday, April 2nd, authorities announced that Ford would not be facing any penalties following the incident.

   Moments after landing, control tower personnel mentioned him sounding “out of sorts” according to the San Francisco Examiner, as he reported, “I [am] the schmuck who landed on the taxiway.”

  The Federal Aviation Administration then launched an investigation, in which they interviewed Ford and witnesses, but concluded that no penalty would be given. Ford’s attorney, Stephen Hofer commented on the ordeal.

  “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.” Grace Kim (12) agreed, stating, “Everyone makes mistakes so I do not think he should face consequences for a simple misunderstanding.”

  A fan of Ford, Krischan Jung (9) stated in regards to the incident, “Even though he has substantial experience, I believe he should be fined or (at the very least) apologize to the people he endangered because he could have potentially harmed hundreds.”

  There was acute media outcry following the event, as some believed he did not face penalty due to his celebrity status. Similarly, Ashley Xia (10) stated, “Because he did land his plane in the wrong place, I believe he should have faced a fine. I do not think it is fair, because if it was a regular person I do not think they would have gotten off so easily.”

  The investigation itself revealed that Ford had been distracted by the airliner and had faced turbulence due to a nearby plane landing. Despite this, the FAA concluded that this was an understandable mistake and Ford has extensive knowledge on air travel safety, justifying their decision to not punish him.