Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat

Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat
French Aéroport régional du Northwest Terrace-Kitimat
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorTerrace-Kitimat Airport Society
LocationTerrace, British Columbia
Opened1943
Time zoneMST (UTC−07:00)
Elevation AMSL713 ft (217 m)
Coordinates54°28′07″N 128°34′42″W / 54.46861°N 128.57833°W / 54.46861; -128.57833
Websiteyxt.ca
Interactive map of Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
03/21 5,316 1,620 Asphalt
15/33 7,497 2,285 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers414,997
Passenger flights6,656
Source: Canada Flight Supplement[1] and Statistics Canada[2]

Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat, (IATA: YXT, ICAO: CYXT), is a regional airport serving northwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Terrace, Thornhill, Kitimat, and the Nass River Valley. Located is located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi)[1] south of Terrace (about 10 km (6.2 mi) south of downtown[3]), the airport connects the region to major Canadian cities through passenger, cargo, and charter services. YXT is managed by the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society, a non-profit organization responsible for its operations and strategic development.[4]

History

World War II origins

YXT was originally constructed in 1943 as a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) airbase during World War II.[5][6][7] It formed part of Canada's Pacific defence strategy against potential Japanese threats.[6] The facility hosted fighter and bomber squadrons, including the Hawker Hurricanes of No. 135 Squadron and Ventura bombers of No. 149 Squadron.[5][6][7]

Construction challenges, such as harsh weather and limited resources, delayed the base’s operational readiness.[6] By 1944, as the perceived threat diminished, the airbase shifted to a support role, and in 1945, RCAF decommissioned the base.[5][6][8]

Post-war civilian use

Transferred to the Department of Transport in 1946, the airfield transitioned to civilian use.[4][6][8] In 1947, it received its first civilian airport license, though it saw limited activity until the 1950s.[6][9] The industrial development of Kitimat and the construction of the aluminum smelter brought increased demand for regional air transport, leading to infrastructure upgrades, including night-flight lighting systems in 1956.[6]

Modernization and local management

In 1999, the airport was transferred to the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society under Canada’s National Airports Policy.[6]

Facilities

Runways

Northwest Regional Airport features two asphalt runways:

  • Runway 15/33: 7,497 ft × 148 ft (2,285 m × 45 m)[1][10]
  • Runway 03/21: 5,316 ft × 148 ft (1,620 m × 45 m)[1]

The primary runway, 15/33, is equipped with an instrument landing system (ILS), installed in 2002, enabling aircraft to land in low-visibility conditions.[1]

It was later replaced in 2015 with the support of federal government money after a series of failures resulted in the delay and cancellation of flights to and from the airport.[11][12][13]

Terminal

The terminal, renovated and completed in 2018 and in 2024, includes expanded departure and arrivals areas, updated baggage handling systems, and updated parking facilities.[4][14][15][16][17][18]

Ground transportation

The airport is accessible via the Stewart–Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) and offers on-site parking, car rentals, and taxi services.[3][19] Parking facilities include short-term, long-term, and designated spaces for accessibility.[20][21][22][23][24]

Airlines and destinations

As of December 2024, passenger airlines Air Canada Express, and WestJet Encore operate at Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat.

AirlinesDestinations
Air Canada Express Vancouver[25][26]
Airco Charter: Prince George[27]
Canadian North Charter: Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton
Central Mountain Air Prince George[28][29]
Charter: Kelowna, Vancouver
North Cariboo Air Charter: Kelowna, Vancouver
Summit Air Charter: Nanaimo[30]
WestJet Encore Calgary,[31] Vancouver[25][32]
Seasonal: Edmonton[33]

Passenger and cargo statistics

Passenger and air traffic

YXT has seen significant growth in passenger traffic, particularly when compared to other airports across the country post-COVID-19 pandemic.[34] Based on Statistics Canada's 2024 Airport Activity Survey, Terrace is Canada's 19th busiest airport by total passengers.[35]

Air passenger traffic at Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat, annual (2020-24)[36]
Year Passenger flights % change Total passengers % change
2020 3,865 Steady 168,168 Steady
2021 4,694 Increase 21.4% 218,397 Increase 29.8%
2022 7,441 Increase 58.5% 396,216 Increase 81.4%
2023 7,631 Increase 2.4% 444,425 Increase 12.1%
2024 6,656 Decrease 12.7% 414,997 Decrease 6.6%

Improvements and investments

Infrastructure enhancements

  • 2018: An $18.5 million terminal expansion improved passenger flow, added new facilities, and modernized baggage handling systems.[15]
  • 2024: Runway resurfacing and apron expansion projects were completed to accommodate larger aircraft.[4][16]

Equipment investments

  • Snowblowers and sweepers: New equipment was introduced to enhance runway safety during winter months, funded in part by LNG Canada and federal grants.[37][38]

Location

The airport is situated along the Stewart–Cassiar Highway, approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) south of downtown Terrace and 56 km (35 mi) north of Kitimat.[3]

Economic impact

Northwest Regional Airport plays a critical role in the economic development of northern British Columbia.[39][40] It supports regional industries by facilitating the movement of goods and workers, especially for the mining and LNG sectors.[40] The airport also serves as an emergency transport hub, connecting remote communities to essential medical services.[41]

Governance

The Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society, a non-profit organization, oversees the management and development of YXT.[4][9] The organization includes representatives from the City of Terrace, the District of Kitimat, and the Regional District of Kitimat–Stikine.[34] Revenue generated by the airport is reinvested into infrastructure and operational improvements.[42]

Accidents and incidents

Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat has been the site of several aviation incidents and accidents. These events highlight the challenges of operating in a region with frequently adverse weather conditions, and mountainous terrain.

NT Air 405 / PWA 405

On 14 January 1977, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter operated by Northern Thunderbird Air, flying as Pacific Western Airlines Flight 405,[43][44] crashed into a mountain during its approach to runway 32 in a snowstorm.[45][46][47][48] The flight, operating from Prince George to Terrace, was carrying 12 individuals, all of whom died in the crash.[45][46][47][48] Weather conditions, including limited visibility and heavy snowfall, were significant factors contributing to the accident.[45][46]

The 1977 Twin Otter crash was the 43th worst aviation accident globally for that year.[46]

On 26 September 1989, Skylink Airlines Flight 070 (operated by Aztec Aviation[49]), a Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III, was destroyed during a missed approach at Terrace.[50][51][52] The aircraft, which was operating a scheduled domestic flight from Vancouver to Terrace, had five passengers and two crew members on board, all of whom were killed.[50][51][52]

The aircraft was cleared for an approach to runway 27 but failed to establish the required visual references.[51] The crew attempted a circling approach but initiated a missed approach in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions.[51] During the missed approach, the aircraft began an uncontrolled descent and struck trees near runway 15 before coming to rest outside the airport perimeter.[51]

The Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB) identified several contributing factors, including:

  • The crew’s decision to continue beyond the missed approach point without visual contact with the runway.[51]
  • Disorientation during the missed approach procedure.[51][52]
  • Inadequate operating standards and procedural definitions within the airline’s operations.[51]

WestJet Encore flight 3107

On 31 January 2020, WestJet Encore Flight 3107, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 operating from Vancouver to Terrace, experienced a nose landing gear collapse during landing on runway 33.[53][54][55] At the time, snow was falling, and the runway was partially cleared, with windrows of snow approximately 18 in (460 mm) high along the edges of the cleared area.[53][54]

The aircraft initially touched down approximately 10 ft (3.0 m) left of the centreline due to variable winds and reduced visual cues.[53][54] It contacted the windrow, causing the nose gear to collapse and resulting in damage to the fuselage and right propeller blades.[53][54] The aircraft came to a stop partially off the runway.[53][54]

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation identified several causes and contributing factors:

  • Limited visual cues due to snow-covered conditions affected the crew’s ability to accurately judge lateral positioning.[53][54][56][57]
  • Contact with the windrow caused drag on the left landing gear, leading to a runway excursion.[53][54][56][57]
  • Snow and ice packed into the nose gear bay during the excursion contributed to the collapse of the gear.[53][54][56][57]

The aircraft was ferried to Kelowna for repairs and returned to service in June 2020.[54]

In response to the 2020 WestJet Encore Flight 3107 incident, the airline made changes to its safety handbook.[58]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 27 November 2025 to 0901Z 22 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "Air passenger traffic at Canadian airports, annual". Open.canada.ca. 29 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Directions". YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kaur, Prabhnoor (1 August 2024). "Northwest Regional Airport celebrates 25 years of becoming a society". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Watmough, Les (12 November 2013). "Aerial history". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Link, Rod (14 June 2018). "Second World War prompts airport construction". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. 1 2 O'Malley, Dave. "Bulldogs on the Coast". Vintage Wings of Canada. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  8. 1 2 Forsyth, Bruce. "Abandoned Bases: British Columbia". Militarybruce.com. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  9. 1 2 "About Us". YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  10. ↑ Link, Rod (21 June 2018). "Northwest Regional Airport to have newly paved runway this year". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  11. ↑ Killen, Anna (15 April 2015). "Terrace-Kitimat airport landing system failure halts flights". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Terrace airport to get new landing system". Terrace Standard. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ↑ "New landing system installed at Terrace, B.C. airport". Terrace Standard. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  14. ↑ Link, Rod (28 December 2018). "Northwest Regional Airport eyes another major project". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. 1 2 Link, Rod (16 June 2018). "Northwest Regional Airport terminal project officially opens". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  16. 1 2 Link, Rod (15 April 2024). "Airport gets $2M grant for taxiway asphalt replacement". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  17. ↑ Paul, Binny (11 May 2021). "Northwest Regional airport receives $300,000 for gated parking system upgrade". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  18. ↑ Wray, Jake (27 July 2020). "Council briefs: Northwest Regional Airport seeks parking lot funding". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  19. ↑ "Passenger Information". YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  20. ↑ "Parking – YXT.ca". Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  21. ↑ "Accessibility at YXT". YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  22. ↑ Paul, Binny (1 May 2021). "Northwest Regional Airport apron expansion work nears completion". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  23. ↑ Link, Rod (2 November 2018). "Northwest Regional Airport traffic increases". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  24. ↑ "Parking expands at airport". Terrace Standard. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  25. 1 2 "Vancouver, BC, Canada YVR". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (1). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1184–1188. July 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  26. ↑ "Air Canada Schedule" (PDF). Air Canada. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  27. ↑ "Direct Flights in Edmonton and Calgary". Airco Aircraft Charters. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  28. ↑ "Prince George, BC, Canada YXS". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (1). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 945–946. July 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  29. ↑ "Flight Schedule". Central Mountain Air. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  30. ↑ "Contact Us". Summit Helicopters. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  31. ↑ "Calgary, AB, Canada YYC". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (1). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 204–206. July 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  32. ↑ "Direct and Non-Stop Flights". WestJet. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  33. ↑ Prisciak, David (9 February 2026). "WestJet to continue direct flights from Saskatchewan to Halifax for summer 2026". CTV News. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  34. 1 2 "Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society Annual General Meeting 2024" (PDF). YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  35. ↑ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 July 2025). "Air passenger traffic at Canadian airports, annual". 150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  36. ↑ "Air passenger traffic at Canadian airports, annual". Open.canada.ca. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  37. ↑ Aspostolovsky, Christian (17 March 2022). "Northwest Regional Airport receives new snowblower". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  38. ↑ Bogstie, Ben (18 August 2021). "New runway sweeper arrives at Northwest Regional Airport". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  39. ↑ "Cargo". YXT.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  40. 1 2 Kolenko, Sean (7 October 2013). "Kitimat: Business opportunity and optimism touch down at the airport, as airline numbers head skyward with infrastructure". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  41. ↑ Azizi, Joshua (23 June 2021). "Northwest B.C. airports express optimism as province begins to reopen". CFTK-TV. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  42. ↑ "LNG Canada provides $1.2 million in funding towards a new snowblower for Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat". LNG Canada. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  43. ↑ "Jan 15, 1977, page 1 - The Vancouver Sun". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  44. ↑ "Jan 17, 1977, page 4 - The Vancouver Sun". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  45. 1 2 3 "Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Terrace: 12 killed". Baaa-acro.com. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "Accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 C-GNTB, Friday 14 January 1977". Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  47. 1 2 "M.O.T. investigates Twin Otter crash" (PDF). Terrace Herald. 19 January 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  48. 1 2 Wenzel, Jan-Udo (17 January 1977). "Seven from city killed in plane crash". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  49. ↑ "Aztec Aviation Consulting Ltd. v. Can. (1990), 33 F.T.R. 210 (TD)". Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  50. 1 2 Gervais, Brittany (26 September 2019). "Father remembers late son on 30th anniversary of Terrace plane crash". Terrace Standard. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Accident Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III C-GSLB, Tuesday 26 September 1989". Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  52. 1 2 3 "Skylink crash caused by pilot disorientation" (PDF). Terrace Review. 20 June 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Government of Canada, Transportation Safety Board of Canada (22 July 2021). "Air transportation safety investigation report A20P0013". Tsb.gc.ca. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Accident Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 C-FKWE, Friday 31 January 2020". Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  55. ↑ Link, Rod (1 February 2020). "Airport reopened after plane's nose collapses, skids off runway during landing in Terrace". Terrace Standard. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  56. 1 2 3 Bogstie, Ben (22 July 2021). "Snowy conditions the main factor in landing gear collapse at Terrace airport: TSB". Terrace Standard. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  57. 1 2 3 "Pile of snow pulled passenger plane off runway in Terrace, B.C.: TSB". Toronto Star. 22 July 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  58. ↑ Christina, Mwitta (22 July 2021). "Wayward WestJet plane in Terrace prompts safety changes". CityNews Vancouver. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
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