Keisah Airport

No single catastrophic event has been documented as the reason for closure. The airport's closure is characteristic of many remote Papuan airstrips and was likely due to a combination of factors, primarily economic and logistical. These include: a lack of consistent funding for runway maintenance, the extreme logistical challenges of upkeep in a remote jungle environment, and a possible cessation of the specific government or missionary program that had supported it. Essentially, it was abandoned due to being economically unsustainable rather than being closed for reasons like a major accident or military conversion.

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Recent satellite imagery confirms that the former runway is still visible as a clearing in the jungle but is heavily overgrown with vegetation and is in a state of total disrepair. The surface is no longer suitable for any type of aircraft landing or takeoff. The small village of Keisah, which the airstrip once served, is still present nearby.

Keisah Airport served as a vital lifeline for the isolated community of Keisah in the extremely rugged Pegunungan Bintang Regency. Like many similar airstrips in Papua, it was likely built and used by missionary aviation organizations (such as MAF - Mission Aviation Fellowship) or as part of a government pioneer aviation program. Operations would have exclusively involved small, STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the Cessna 208 Caravan or Pilatus PC-6 Porter. These aircraft transported essential supplies like food, medicine, and building materials, as well as personnel like doctors, teachers, and government officials. For the local residents, the airstrip was the primary connection to the outside world and the only means for emergency medical evacuation.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Keisah Airport. Rehabilitating the airstrip would require a substantial investment to clear the extensive vegetation, regrade and compact the runway surface, and establish a plan for sustainable, long-term maintenance. Given the high cost and the remote location, reopening is highly unlikely unless driven by a new strategic government initiative to reconnect isolated communities or the discovery of significant economic resources in the immediate area.