Akron Executive Airport

Akron Fulton Intl Airport (IATA: AKC, ICAO: KAKR, FAA LID: AKR) is in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, United States. It is owned by the City of Akron;[1] FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015[2] called it a general aviation airport.

For the airport near Fulton, Kentucky, see Fulton Airport.
Akron Fulton International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Akron
ServesAkron, Ohio
Elevation AMSL1,067 ft / 325 m
Coordinates41°02′15″N 081°28′01″W
Website
Map
AKR is located in Ohio
AKR
AKR
AKR is located in the United States
AKR
AKR
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
7/25 6,337 1,932 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations48,910
Based aircraft84

Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Akron Executive is AKR to the FAA and AKC to the IATA (which assigned AKR to Akure, Nigeria).

History

The airport was initially named for longtime manager Bain Ecarius "Shorty" Fulton and his son Bain J. "Bud" Fulton.[3][4] Funding for the airport was initially allocated in 1924, and it opened in 1929.[5] Later it was a U.S. naval air station, Naval Air Station Akron. The airport has served only general aviation for many years, but it does technically have United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities and so is considered an "international airport".

The airport is home to the Goodyear Airdock, where the first lighter-than-air ships were built. More than 130 airships and 4,000 naval FG-1D fighter aircraft were produced at the airport by Goodyear Aircraft during World War II. The airport was a Naval Air Station, designated as NAS Akron, used to train pilots during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.[5]

From 1951 through the 1960s the airport was used as a drag racing strip, and it's also home to the All-American Soap Box Derby.[5][6][7]

In 1985, the Akron Fulton International Airport was recognized as the 3rd National Landmark of Soaring by the National Soaring Museum.[8] On August 3, 2018, the City of Akron announced that the airport had been renamed Akron Executive Airport.[9]

In 2020, the Akron City Council approved $6 million in upgrades for the airport, including upgrades the airport's lighting system and a runway reconstruction to allow nearby land to be developed. While the airport's main runway was not altered, the smaller north/south runway was ultimately removed to allow for hangers or other developments, both in and around the airport, to be built. Much of the funding for the project was funded by the federal CARES Act due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11]

The Akron-Fulton International Airport Administration Building is on the National Register of Historic Places.[12]

Historical airline service

The airport once had airline service on Pennsylvania Airlines, Inc. Flights went to Washington, D.C. via Pittsburgh six times daily. United Airlines once flew the Douglas DC-3 from Akron Executive to Chicago (via Cleveland) and New York.[5]

Eastern Airlines flew to Akron Executive in 1945. Akron served as a stop on the carrier's flights from Denver to Miami. American Airlines also flew to Akron Executive around that time, connecting Akron to other Ohio cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton.[5]

Facilities and aircraft

Akron Fulton Intl Airport covers 1,171 acres (474 ha) at an elevation of 1,067 feet (325 m). It has one asphalt runway: 7/25 is 6,337 by 150 feet (1,932 x 46 m).[13][1]

In the year ending September 19, 2022 the airport had 48,910 aircraft operations, an average 134 per day: 99% general aviation, <1% air taxi, and <1% military. This is up from 26,000 annual operations in 2010. 84 aircraft were based at the airport in 2021: 71 single-engine and 9 multi-engine airplanes, 3 jets, and 1 helicopter.[1][14]

The airport is supported by local Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) Summit Air, which fuels and hangars aircraft.[15] North Coast Air Care has been based at the Akron Flight facility since May 2000. It services the general aviation community by performing inspections, maintenance, and repairs.

Accidents and incidents
  • On July 9, 1995, a homebuilt Quickie II was destroyed when it impacted the ground near the Akron-Fulton Airport. The aircraft had been working on takeoffs and landings in the airport's traffic pattern for 15 minutes. After the accident takeoff, the aircraft made a 180 to try to come back to the runway, and witnesses reported the aircraft used excessive maneuvers to try to line up for final. From a near vertical bank, the plane stalled on final. It fell straight down on the left wing and cartwheeled. The cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's improper maneuver during the turn to final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and collision with the terrain.[16]
  • On September 10, 1995, a Robinson R-22 Beta was destroyed when it impacted the ground after takeoff at the Akron Fulton Airport. Witnesses to the aircraft's takeoff at the nearby Akron-Canton airport said the helicopter appeared to "wobble" on departure, the engine sounded like it was revving, and the tail rotor appeared to be spinning slower than normal. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain control of the rotor RPM, and his improper remedial action, which resulted in the rotor stalling.[17]
  • On March 19, 2000, a Beech A23 Bonanza was destroyed when it impacted houses in a residential area shortly after takeoff from Akron Fulton International Airport. After takeoff, a witness said that the accident aircraft was "barely climbing" and that the engine noise was constant but sounded like it wasn't at full power. Another witness said he looked out his window and observed the blue and white airplane below the roof-tops and that the aircraft appeared to be "gliding in." The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's improper decision to operate the airplane with known deficiencies.[18]
  • On February 12, 2015, a Piper PA-46 veered off the left side of the runway during landing at Akron Fulton Airport. The pilot applied right rudder and left aileron control inputs for the landing. After touchdown, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, resulting in a loss of directional control. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and into a grass area adjacent to the runway where the nose landing gear collapsed. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing in gusting crosswind conditions.[19]
  • On November 10, 2015, a Hawker 700 crashed into an Akron apartment complex shortly before 3:00pm (15:00) EST in rainy weather, near the intersection of Skelton and Mogadore Roads, while on approach to Akron Fulton International Airport.[20] Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion, and seeing smoke/flames as the crash occurred. All nine occupants of the aircraft, including both pilots, were killed in the crash.[21] Akron police units were the first to report to the scene, followed shortly by firefighters and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched an incident team to the site of the crash.[22][23]
  • On July 4, 2022, a Cessna Skyhawk Cessna 172 flying from Chambers Airport in Tunkannock, Pennsylvania to Weltzien Skypark Airport crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Akron Fulton Intl Airport about a mile Northeast of the runway in Ellet Community Center parking lot. Both pilot and passenger survived the crash. Preliminary investigations suggest the crash was due to fuel exhaustion.[24][25][26]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for AKR PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 25 August 2011.
  2. "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A (PDF, 2.03 MB)". National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. 4 October 2010.
  3. "Daredevil...Barnstormer...Dreamer". Archived 2008-05-04 at the Wayback Machine Summit Memory.
  4. Price, Mark J. (2009-11-30). "Chill on the hill". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  5. "Akron's Art Deco Terminal". Aviation CLE. 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  6. Schleis, Paula (2016-06-15). "Historical marker honoring Akron drag-racing legends is part of Father's Day festivities". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  7. Akron Fulton Airport Champions Raceway (Ohio Historical Marker). The Ohio History Connection. 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  8. "No.3 - Akron Fulton International Airport, Akron, Ohio". National Soaring Museum. Archived from the original on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  9. "Akron Fulton Airport to be Rebranded as Akron Executive Airport". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  10. Goist, Robin (2020-09-15). "Akron City Council approves improvements to Akron Executive Airport, paving way for development on nearby land". cleveland. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. "Akron Executive Airport Receives Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Grant | Downtown Akron Partnership | Akron, OH". www.downtownakron.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  12. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  13. "Akron Fulton Airport Runway 7-25 Rehabilitation". www.constructionjournal.com. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
  14. "AirNav: KAKR - Akron Fulton International Airport". airnav.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  15. "Summit Airport Services FBO Info & Fuel Prices at Akron Fulton Intl (KAKR)". FlightAware. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  16. "Koval Quickie Ii crash in Ohio (N4372V) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  17. "Robinson R-22 Beta crash in Ohio (N22BX) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  18. "Beech A23 crash in Ohio (N1410L) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  19. "Piper Pa 46-350P crash in Ohio (N427AB) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  20. "Nine killed aboard charter plane that crashed Tuesday into Ellet apartment building in Akron". Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio.com). Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  21. "No survivors after plane crashes into apartment building on Mogadore Road in Akron". NEWS Cleveland (NewsNet5.com). Archived from the original on 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  22. "Akron plane crash that killed 9 'infested with sloppiness'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  23. "NTSB issues preliminary report on deadly Akron plane crash". www.wfmj.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  24. "Mogadore man, Uniontown woman were aboard small plane that crashed in Akron".
  25. "Accident Cas N12115". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  26. Cross, Ian (2022-07-05). "2 people hospitalized after small plane crashes behind Akron middle school, Akron Fire confirms". News 5 Cleveland WEWS. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
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