Piqua Airport

Piqua Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Piqua
ServesPiqua, Ohio
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL993 ft (303 m)
Coordinates40°09′52″N 084°18′30″W / 40.16444°N 84.30833°W / 40.16444; -84.30833
Map
I17 is located in Ohio
I17
I17
Location of airport in Ohio
I17 is located in the United States
I17
I17
I17 (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8/26 3,998 1,219 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft Operations12,000
Based aircraft28
Sources: Federal Aviation Administration[1], AirNav[2], SkyVector[3]

Piqua Airport, also known as Hartzell Field, (FAA LID: I17) is a public use airport located 3 nautical miles northwest of Piqua, Ohio.[1]

History

Plans for an airport in Piqua were announced in early October 1944 after two residents, Dr. M. S. Seiler and Parvin S. Brown, purchased the 120-acre (49 ha) Denman farm west of the city.[4] In June 1950, it was announced Paul E. Clark would become airport manager at the start of the following month.[5]

Dr. Seiler offered to donate additional land to allow the construction of a third runway by late June 1955.[6] In early 1957, Hartzell Industries gave the city $15,000 to allow it buy the land to the west of the runway, while the company acquired another portion with the runway itself.[7] Construction on a 2,850-foot (870 m) paved runway began in early May 1958 and was dedicated five months later on October 12th.[8][9] Hartzell took over operation of the airport in June 1960 and began making improvements to the facilities. These included repainting hangars, renovating a waiting room, adding runway lighting, installing a VOR beacon and buying additional land adjacent to the runway.[10][11] A tornado struck the airport in mid June 1964, lifting a 3,750-square-foot (348 m2) hangar off its foundation and destroying the beacon tower.[12]

In 1965, Miami County was one of many in Ohio to request a grant from the state to build a county airport. Officials from Piqua recommended that it be used to expand the city's airport. However, the plan faced competition from other interested parties. One proposal, promoted by a group of Troy businessmen, suggested building a new airport from scratch on an experimental farm northwest of that city. They argued that the site was closer to the center of the county.[13][14] Ultimately, in December 1966, the county commissioners voted to recommend that Piqua receive the funds. The decision was motivated in part due to the city offering to contribute some of its own money to the project.[15] In February 1967, a board was appointed to create zoning regulations for the airport.[16] A state grant for the airport was approved in early September 1967.[17] An extension of the runway to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) was dedicated on 22 October 1967.[18] However, only two days later, a storm collapsed a portion of one hangar, damaged the roof of a second and blew down fourteen doors on a third.[19]

The airport received a state grant to build a taxiway and ramp in March 1970.[20] Paving of the taxiway was completed in November 1971.[21]

Hartzell established a service center at the airport in 1979.[22]

As a result of the passage of amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the airport operator elected to remove two underground fuel tanks by late April 1986.[23]

By mid February 1992, the propeller overhaul shop was 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) in size.[24]

Air Combat Enterprises, or ACES, a company that held mock dogfights with laser equipped aircraft, was established at the airport in summer 1994.[22] The city began soliciting bids to widen the taxiway in March 1995.[25] Construction on a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) expansion to the service center was due to begin the following month.[22]

A proposal to add the subtitle Hartzell Field to the airport's name was made in May 2002.[26]

The city agreed to purchase 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land for a medical helicopter landing pad in March 2020.[27]

Facilities and aircraft

Facilities

Piqua Airport has one runway, designated 8/26 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,998 by 75 feet (1,219 x 23 m).[1]

The airport has a fixed-base operator that offers limited services. Parking includes hangars and tie-downs for visiting aircraft. Fuel service offers 100LL and Jet-A.[1]

Aircraft

Based on the 12-month period ending 30 September 2021, the airport had 12,000 aircraft operations, an average of 33 per day. This includes 98% general aviation, and 2% air taxi.[2][3]

For the same time period, 28 aircraft are based on the field: 27 single-engine airplanes and 1 ultralight.[2]

Accidents and incidents

  • On 14 July 1946, a woman was struck by the propeller of a runaway airplane and died four days later.[28]
  • On 31 July 1977, a Piper Cherokee crashed after taking off from the airport, injuring the pilot and a passenger.[29]
  • On 7 May 1991, a twin-engine airplane made an emergency landing in a nearby field after suffering a dual engine failure while attempting to land at the airport.[30]
  • On 2 November 1994, a single-engine airplane struck power lines while landing at the airport. It was the second time such a collision had occurred that year.[31]
  • On 18 July 1992, a Cessna 172 crashed while attempting to land at the airport.[32]
  • On 24 August 2001, a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 crashed while attempting to land at the airport, killing the pilot.[33]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "FAA Airport Form 5010 for I17" (PDF). FAA. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 14 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Piqua Airport/Hartzell Field". AirNav.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Piqua/Hartzell Field Airport". SkyVector. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "New Piqua Airport to Be Developed West of City". Piqua Daily Call. 10 October 1944. p. 10. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "New Manager for Piqua Airport". Troy Daily News. 20 June 1950. p. 8. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Piqua Commission OK's Plan for Enlarging City's Airport". Journal Herald. 23 June 1955. p. 28. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Hartzell $15,000 Gift Will Assist Piqua Airport Plan". Troy Daily News. 3 April 1957. p. 6. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Piqua's Airport Gets New Runway". Troy Daily News. 2 May 1958. p. 21. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "City of Piqua Gets New Airport Runway". Miami Sunday News. 12 October 1958. p. 3. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Kleine, Kathy (3 September 1960). "Piqua Airport Set to Cope with Civilian Rush to Get Into the Wild, Blue Yonder". Troy Daily News. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Redmond, Jack (29 August 1961). "Airport Kept Busy by Firms' Planes". Journal Herald. p. 10. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "Twister Smashes Hangar at Piqua; Loss $75,000". Dayton Daily News. 20 June 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Officials Urge Piqua Airport Improvements". Sidney Daily News. 20 October 1965. p. 10A. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Jones, Woody (23 November 1965). "Centrally-Located Airport Urged for Miami County". Journal Herald. p. 39. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Fox, Bill (4 December 1966). "Airport Approved". Dayton Daily News. p. 4-C. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "Piqua Officials Start Planning for Airport". Springfield News-Sun. 5 February 1967. p. 9B. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Piqua Airport Funds Awarded". Sidney Daily News. 8 September 1967. p. 3a. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Airport at Piqua is Dedicated". Journal Herald. 23 October 1967. p. 23. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Outlaw Storm Whips Roofs, Trees in Area". Dayton Daily News. 25 October 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "Federal Funds are Assigned Piqua Airport". Piqua Daily Call. 30 March 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "Paving Completed at Piqua Airport". Journal Herald. 18 November 1971. p. 37. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 Tucker, Kevin (9 April 1995). "Flying High". Miami Valley News. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  23. ↑ Speelman, Ruth (20 April 1986). "TRW is Looking for Ways to Return Fuel to Airport". Miami Valley News. p. 15. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  24. ↑ Gooch, John O. (16 February 1992). "Hartzell Propeller". Dayton Daily News. p. 15-BB. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  25. ↑ Tucker, Kevin (7 March 1995). "Piqua Rate Increase Takes Another Step". Troy Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  26. ↑ Blake, Bob (6 May 2002). "City Preparing for Streetscape 2002". Troy Daily News. p. A3. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  27. ↑ Wildow, Sam (4 March 2020). "City to Purchase Land for Helicopter Pad". Miami Valley Today. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Woman Killed When Struck by Blades of Airplane Propeller". Miami Union. 18 July 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  29. ↑ "Engine Trouble Believed Plane Crash Cause". Dayton Daily News. 1 August 1977. p. 21. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  30. ↑ "Pilot Crash Lands Plane". Troy Daily News. 8 May 1991. p. 3. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  31. ↑ "Small Plane Cuts Wires While Landing in Piqua". Sidney Daily News. 5 November 1994. p. 5A. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  32. ↑ "Plane Lands Short of Runway". Miami Valley Sunday News. 19 July 1992. p. 1. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  33. ↑ Perry, Lisa (25 August 2001). "Pilot Dies in Fiery Crash". Springfield News-Sun. p. 3. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
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