Harrison Ford Plane Crash: The 'Indiana Jones' Star's History of Flying

"Indiana Jones" star Harrison Ford crashed his World War II-era Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR on Thursday at the Penmar golf course near the Santa Monica Airport.

It wasn't the first time that avid aviator Ford has crashed an aircraft, and marks the latest incident in his decades-long stint as a pilot.

As Ford recuperates from Thursday's crash, TheWrap details the actor's long relationship with planes.

See video: Watch Footage From Harrison Ford Plane Crash Scene

Ford's love affair with aviation began in the 1960s, when he underwent flight training at Wisconsin's Idlewild Airport. Ford was forced to abandon the lessons because the $15-per-hour fee was too steep for him.

Ford's financial situation clearly took a turn for the better in later years, and by the mid-1990s he was able to buy a used Gulfstream II.

As with Thursday's accident, Ford's experience with aircraft hasn't always been pleasant. The actor crashed a helicopter in Oct. 1999 during a routine training flight near Santa Clarita, Calif.

Luckily, Ford and his flying instructor escaped uninjured. The helicopter, however, was badly damaged. The following year, he crash-landed a six-person passenger plane in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Despite the occasional hiccup, Ford has remained a fierce advocate of aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. In 2004, he was named chairman of Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program, replacing flying legend Chuck Yaeger. He's also a supporter of Wings of Hope, a humanitarian aviation organization that works toward poverty reduction.

Ford has also utilized his flying skills as a rescue worker, flying his helicopter in two mountain rescue missions in Wyoming.