Perry County Airport (Ohio)

For similarly named airports, see Perry County Airport (disambiguation).

Perry County Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPerry County Airport Authority
ServesNew Lexington, Ohio
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL1,051 ft / 320 m
Coordinates39°41′30″N 082°11′52″W / 39.69167°N 82.19778°W / 39.69167; -82.19778
Websitewww.FlyPerry.com
Map
I86
Location of airport in Ohio
I86
I86 (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8/26 3,498 1,066 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations4,524
Based aircraft10
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Perry County Airport (FAA LID: I86) is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) south of the central business district of New Lexington, in Perry County, Ohio, United States.[1] It is owned by the Perry County Airport Authority.[1] This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.[2]

The airport has a unique arrangement in that a rail line passes underneath the runway.[3]

History

The 40-acre (16 ha) Newlon Airport was established by the eponymous family in 1946. In November 1966, it was transferred to the county to be used as the basis for the Perry County Airport. At that time it had two grass runways, 1,900 ft (580 m) and 1,300 ft (400 m) in length.[4] Site preparation by Peabody Coal Company began in June 1967, but stopped in September after one of the excavators left the site and the other was forced to halt by rock that would require blasting. Further problems occurred in the form of a powerline that the county did not have money to relocate. Concerns were then raised that attempts to remove the rock would damage a Penn Central railroad tunnel.[5] The tunnel was strengthened by September 1968 and by early July 1969, the length of the proposed runway had been reduced from 4,000 ft (1,200 m) to 3,500 ft (1,100 m).[6] The airport received another $50,000 from the state to pay for elements of the plan – fencing, lighting and an airport beacon – that had been previously dropped due to cost.[7] Bidding for paving the runway was restarted in mid March 1970 after the previous contract lapsed due to delays.[8] The airport was dedicated on 23 August 1970.[9] A taxiway and turnaround were paved by mid November 1970.[10]

The airport received a $50,000 grant from the state to resurface the runway in 1985.[11]

In 2021, the airport received a $22,000 grant to fund operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and combating the spread of pathogens.[12] The airport received a federal grant in 2023 to reconfigure its taxiway.[13]

Facilities and aircraft

Perry County Airport covers an area of 53 acres (21 ha) at an elevation of 1,051 feet (320 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 8/26 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,498 by 75 feet (1,066 x 23 m).[1]

The airport has a fixed-base operator that sells fuel.[14]

For the 12-month period ending August 4, 2022, the airport had 4,524 aircraft operations, an average of 87 per week. It was 99% general aviation and 1% military. At that time there were 10 aircraft based at the airport, all single-engine airplanes.[1]

Accidents and incidents

  • On 22 September 1968, an unknown Cessna participating in an air tour struck a fence while landing at the airport, damaging both.[15]
  • On 17 October 1978, two single-engine airplanes collided on the ground at the airport, killing four and injuring one.[16]
  • On April 6, 2019, a Piper Arrow crashed at the airport while attempting to land.[17][18]
  • On 5 February 2025, a Cirrus SR22 crashed while attempting to land at the airport, injuring the pilot and a passenger.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e FAA Airport Form 5010 for I86 PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ^ "Appendix A: List of NPIAS Airports with 5-Year Forecast Activity and Development Cost". National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) Reports. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-10-27.
  3. ^ Hechlinski, Bob (2011). Honey, I Bought an Airplane: Stories, Histories and Recollections of 597 Flights in the Midwest. Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse. pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-1-4634-3991-0. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  4. ^ "New Perry County Airport Dedication Sunday". Newark Advocate. 19 August 1970. p. 8. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Problems Slow Perry Airport". Newark Advocate. 17 July 1968. p. 3. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Stalled Perry Airport Alive Again". Newark Advocate. 4 July 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  7. ^ "New Lex Official Visits Rhodes". Newark Advocate. 26 February 1970. p. 3. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  8. ^ "Five Bids Expected for Perry County Airport Blacktopping; Opening April 14". Newark Advocate. 12 March 1970. p. 25. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  9. ^ "Airport Dedicated". The Times Recorder. 24 August 1970. p. 1-A. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Perry County Airport Work Finished". Newark Advocate. 19 November 1970. p. 25. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Perry County Airport Receives $50,000 Grant". The Times Recorder. 10 July 1985. p. 5-A. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Brown Announces More Than $2 Million to Improve Airports in Southeast Ohio". Sherrod Brown. 13 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Perry County Airport Receives Grant". Times Recorder. 21 June 2023. p. 3A. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Perry County Flight Services FBO Info & Fuel Prices at Perry County (I86)". FlightAware. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  15. ^ "Rushcreek Watershed Tour Taken by 250". Newark Advocate. 23 September 1968. p. 5. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Air Collision Kills Four". Bryan Times. UPI. 18 October 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  17. ^ "Small plane crashes at Perry County Airport". Times Recorder. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  18. ^ Wynn, Sarah (2019-04-06). "Plane crashes at Perry County Airport, no injuries reported". WTTE. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  19. ^ Digity, Shawn (6 February 2025). "Pilot and Passenger Injured in Airplane Crash Near Perry County Airport on Wednesday". Times Recorder. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
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