Although still hospitalized on Sunday after his small plane crashed on Thursday, Harrison’s Ford is “on the mend,” according to his son Ben, who said the 72-year-old actor was “battered, but OK.” Dr. Sanjay Khurana was on the golf course when the 1942 Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR plane, piloted by Ford, crash landed nearby. He said the actor had some “significant scalp lacerations and trauma,” and appeared stunned, although he was conscious and talking.

Ford reported engine trouble shortly after he took off and asked for an immediate return to the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. The tower reported that the plane did not reach the runway. Col. Stephen Ganyard, ABC News consultant, said that Ford appeared to do his best to try and keep the airplane flying, saying “it looks like he did a really good job under the circumstances.

Khurana said he ran to the scene of the crash and immediately recognized the pilot. A group of golfers helped to get Ford out of the plane and worked to stabilize his neck and spine. Khurana tried to check his airway and blood pressure. Khurana was still surprised by the incident even hours later. He said it was unusual enough to see an airplane crash at all, and then to realize it is someone you know from the movies was “fairly bizarre.”

Another crash witness, Andrew Varenhorst, said planes leaving that airport have crashed into nearby homes before. He said that the golf course is really the only open space available.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Patrick Jones said that the vintage plane clipped a tree just before crashing. He said in such a situation “you have to pick the best spots” available and in this case that was the golf course.