Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport

Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport covers an area of 541 acres (219 ha) which contains one asphalt paved runway (2/20) measuring 5,000 x 100 ft (1,524 x 30 m). The airport has instrument landing facilities, but does not have a control tower.[1]

For the 12-month period ending September 8, 2022, the airport had 38,690 aircraft operations, an average of 106 per day: 98% general aviation (48% general aviation local, 45% general aviation itinerant), 2% air taxi, and <1% military. This is less than half of the 89,000 aircraft operations the airport had in 2016. In 2022, there were 73 aircraft based at this airport: 49 single-engine and 10 multi-engine airplanes as well as 7 jets and 7 helicopters.[1]

The airport facilities also include a runway equipped with a partial precision approach consisting of a localizer (LOC), approach lighting system (MALS), runway lighting (MIRL) and a visual approach slope indicator (VASI), 68 T-hangars, 6 conventional hangars, 5,000 sq ft (460 m²). maintenance facility and 9,600 sq ft (890 m²) administration building.[3]

The airport has a fixed-base operator that offers fuel, general maintenance, courtesy transportation, a conference room, a crew lounge, snooze rooms, and more.[4]

Multiple new hangars were built at the airport in 2021 to accommodate more aircraft parking and incentivise more aircraft to be based at the airport.[5]

In 2009, the airport received $150,000 to conduct a pavement management study.[6] In 2022, the airport received over $1 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to complete infrastructure upgrades. Funds were focused on mitigating wildlife hazards at the airport.[7]

The aircraft is home to a number of airshows each year. It holds a World War II-style airshow that features vintage warbirds such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Curtiss P40 Warhawk, North American B-25 Mitchell, and P-51 Mustang.[8][9]

The airport previously hosted a Runway Fest where community members and children could listen to live music, get their faces painted, use a bouncy castle, interact with aircraft, and take airplane rides.[10]

On the airport grounds is a replica of the Wright brothers' Huffman Prairie hangar, containing a museum and replica Wright B Flyer. The museum is open to the public during limited hours.[11]

• On July 23, 2001, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk was substantially damaged while landing at the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport. Over the runway, the pilot flared and over rotated the airplane. The airplane touched down hard, and the nose wheel contacted the ground bursting the tire. The airplane came to a stop on the right side of the runway, and the pilot egressed. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's excessive flare, which resulted in a hard landing.[12]
• On September 13, 2002, a Cessna 177 Cardinal was substantially damaged during a landing at Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport. During the landing flare, the airplane "ballooned," and he elected to go around. At the time, the airplane was in a "very slow flight configuration" and would not gain airspeed or climb during the go-around. The pilot elected to land the airplane at the departure end of the runway approached because it would not climb and was not under control. He said the speed was high at touchdown, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, resulting in a stall.[13]
• On September 26, 2004, a Cessna 152 was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field after experiencing a total loss of engine power near the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport. While en route from Hook Field to the Moraine Airpark, the engine totally failed, and the student pilot onboard attempted to glide the airplane to the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport but instead made an emergency landing 1/2 mile west of the airport. An FAA inspector did not note any fuel in either tan, nor any evidence of fuel near the vicinity of the wreckage. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the student pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion.[14]
• On July 24, 2009, a Beech H-18 veered to the left and off runway 02 at the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport after the tail wheel touched down during landing. The pilot stated the tail wheel lock pin did not remain in the locked position. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing skin became wrinkled when it contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage.[15]
• On April 1, 2010, a Beech B36TC Bonanza impacted terrain short of the runway during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport. A witness who heard the departure said the engine initially sounded normal but that it suddenly cut out. She subsequently observed the aircraft in a 45° right turn, which it maintained until she lost sight of it. Additional witnesses reported observing the airplane approach the airport from the west with the landing gear in the retracted position. They stated that the airplane banked to the left in an apparent attempt to line-up with runway 2. The left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane impacted an open grass area south of the runway. A post impact fire ensued. The cause of the accident was found to be the complete loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 1 main bearing, and the secondary failure of a crankcase through-bolt and the fuel pump drive coupling.[16]
• On July 14, 2018, a Piper PA-22 was damaged during landing at the Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport. The pilot reported that, during the flare, he felt a wind shift push the airplane left of centerline. He applied opposite rudder, but the airplane touched down "skewed", pointed to the right. The airplane then exited the runway to the right and ground looped on the adjacent field.[17]

• Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Wright "B" Flyer hangar at Dayton–Wright Brothers Airport
• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for MGY
  • AirNav airport information for KMGY
  • ASN accident history for MGY
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures