Actor Harrison Ford said he was distracted and concerned about turbulence from another aircraft last month when he mistakenly landed on a taxiway at a Southern California airport after flying low over an airliner with 116 people aboard, according to an audio recording released Friday.
``I'm the schmuck who landed on the taxiway,'' Ford told an air traffic controller shortly after the near-miss on Feb. 13 at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.
Recordings of Ford's conversations with air traffic controllers were released Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The 74-year-old actor was told to land his single-engine plane on Runway 20L, but he instead landed on a parallel taxiway.
An American Airlines flight was on the same taxiway, waiting to take off.
A video released last month showed Ford's Aviat Husky plane from behind as it descends toward the airfield where the American Airlines Boeing 737 is slowly taxiing.
``Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?'' Ford asked the air traffic control tower as he landed in the wrong spot.
``Oh. I landed on Taxiway Charlie. I understand now. Sorry for that,'' Ford said.
In a phone call with an air traffic controller after the incident, Ford said he ``got distracted by the airliner'' and also mentioned ``big turbulence'' from another plane that was landing.
The American Airlines flight, with 110 passengers and six crew members, departed safely for Dallas a few minutes later.
When an air traffic controller told the ``Star Wars'' and ``Indiana Jones'' star to take his time getting the number from his pilot's license, remarking it isn't a big deal, Ford responded: ``It's a big deal for me.''
After Ford told the employee his name, the man seemed taken aback and assured Ford he won't share his phone number with anyone.
Landing on a taxiway, instead of a runway, is a violation of Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
The agency's probe of the incident is still underway, spokesman Ian Gregor said Friday.
Ford's publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.
Ford, who collects vintage planes, has a long record as an aviator.
He has had several close calls and a serious accident in March 2015 when he was injured in his World War II-era trainer.
It crashed on a Los Angeles golf course after engine failure.