Værøy STOLport

The airport was closed due to extreme and unpredictable wind conditions. The location at the northern tip of the island, directly at the foot of the 435-meter-high Nordlandsnupen mountain, created severe and uncontrollable turbulence and wind shear. This was tragically demonstrated by the fatal crash of Widerøe Flight 839 on April 12, 1990, where a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter was destroyed by turbulence shortly after takeoff, killing all five people on board. The subsequent investigation by the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board (AIBN) concluded that the wind conditions made the airport's location inherently and unacceptably dangerous for scheduled commercial aviation, leading to its permanent closure for safety reasons.

The airport is abandoned and not maintained for any form of aviation. The 800-meter asphalt runway, taxiway, and small terminal building still exist but are in a state of disuse and decay. The site is accessible to the public and is sometimes visited by tourists and locals as a landmark. It serves as a stark memorial to the 1990 accident. All air traffic to and from the island now uses the Værøy Heliport (ICAO: ENVY, IATA: VRY), which was constructed in a more sheltered and safer location on the south side of the island.

Opened on July 1, 1986, Værøy STOLport was a crucial part of Norway's state-funded regional STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) network, designed to connect remote communities. It provided a vital air link for the isolated island of Værøy, connecting it to the mainland city of Bodø and other regional hubs in Lofoten. The primary and sole operator was Widerøe, which flew de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft on the route. For its short operational life, the airport significantly improved transportation for residents, who had previously relied solely on often-unreliable ferry services, especially during harsh weather.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the Værøy STOLport for fixed-wing commercial aviation. The meteorological and topographical issues that led to its closure are permanent and cannot be mitigated. The site is considered definitively unsafe. The island's air transportation needs have been successfully and safely met by the Værøy Heliport, which opened for service in 1993 and received a permanent terminal and facilities in 1997, making the old STOLport redundant.