Harrison Ford is under investigation following an incident on the runway of a small airport in California.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Star Wars actor was piloting a plane that crossed the runway as another aircraft was attempting to land at Hawthorne Municipal Airport last week. 

According to the FAA, the two planes came within “approximately 3,600 feet” of each other, but there was no danger of a crash.

They said in a statement: “The FAA is investigating an incident in which the pilot of an Aviat Husky taxied across the runway at Hawthorne Municipal Airport Friday afternoon while another aircraft was performing a touch-and-go landing.”

Audio from the incident reveals a tower operator told Harrison, a keen flyer, to “hold short” on the runway due to “traffic”.

In a harsher tone, the operator then said: “Get across that runway now. I told you to hold short. You need to listen up.”

The actor replied: “Excuse me, sir, I thought exactly the opposite. I’m terribly sorry.”

Harrison’s representative claimed that the purpose of the flight was to “maintain currency and proficiency in the aircraft”.

It is not the first time Harrison, 77, has found himself in hot water with aviation authorities.

In February 2017 he narrowly missed a jetliner carrying 100 passengers and landed his plane on the wrong stretch of tarmac at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.

The FAA ruled he could continue to fly without restriction but was required to take “awareness training”.

And in March 2015 he was injured when his World War II-era plane lost power and he crash landed at a golf course in Santa Monica.

Harrison took up flying when he was in his 50s and is also trained to fly helicopters.

In 1999, he crash-landed his helicopter he was test flying in Los Angeles, with he and the instructor escaping unhurt.