ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Harrison Ford’s vintage plane likely crashed because of a carburetor problem that caused the engine to lose power after taking off from Santa Monica Airport, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report released Thursday.
The problem part, according to the report, controls the plane’s fuel flow, providing “a constant mixture ratio over the cruising range of engine operating speeds.” It was found separated from its mounts, and the threads holding the crucial piece of the part together appeared to be rounded off. The failure caused too much fuel to reach the engine, which caused the power loss.
The carburetor was last checked in 1998, when the plane underwent extensive restoration and an engine overhaul. But carburetor manuals didn’t offer “pertinent instructions regarding installations or continued maintenance of the jet assemblies,” notes the report.
Ford told federal investigators his plane lost power after taking off from the airport and crashed as he was trying to get back to the facility.
The 73-year-old actor was seriously hurt when the plane came down on a golf course March 5.
Ford reprises his role as Han Solo in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, opening nationwide December 18.
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