David River Airport

Abandonment due to economic factors and disuse. This was a private bush airstrip, likely built to support a specific commercial or recreational purpose, such as a remote hunting or fishing lodge, or for resource exploration. When the associated activity ceased or the strip was no longer needed or financially viable to maintain, it was simply abandoned and left to be reclaimed by the Alaskan tundra. There is no evidence of military conversion or a specific accident leading to its closure.

The site is completely abandoned and defunct. High-resolution satellite imagery shows the faint, overgrown outline of a single runway located on the riverbank. The surface is being reclaimed by vegetation and is unusable for any aircraft operations. There are no visible buildings, hangars, or any other airport infrastructure remaining. The site has effectively reverted to undeveloped wilderness.

The airport's significance was purely local. It served as a vital access point in a remote, roadless region of the Alaska Peninsula. Operations would have been limited to small, single-engine, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capable aircraft, such as Piper Super Cubs, Cessna 185s, or de Havilland Beavers, typically equipped with tundra tires. These aircraft would have transported hunters, fishermen, guides, and supplies to and from the David River area. It is a typical example of the thousands of informal, private airstrips that have been essential for transportation and commerce throughout Alaska's history.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the David River Airport. Re-establishing an airstrip in such a remote location would require significant private investment to clear, grade, and maintain the runway. Without a new and compelling economic reason, such as the establishment of a new commercial lodge or a major resource extraction project in the immediate vicinity, it is almost certain to remain permanently closed.