Williamson, US 🇺🇸 Closed Airport
US-11505
-
1575 ft
US-WV
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 37.687599° N, -82.261002° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: 4I0 K4I0
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
06/24 |
3515 ft | 60 ft | ASP | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| UNIC | CTAF/UNICOM | 122.8 MHz |
The airport was officially closed in the late 1990s, estimated to be between 1998 and 2000. Aeronautical charts from 1993 still showed it as operational, but by the early 2000s, construction for its redevelopment was underway.
The closure was driven by economic development. The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA) targeted the airport's land for a new industrial park to help diversify the local economy, which was heavily dependent on the coal industry. The airport's location in a narrow river valley limited its potential for expansion (e.g., runway lengthening for larger aircraft), making the land more valuable for industrial use that could create more jobs and economic output.
The site of the former airport has been completely redeveloped and is now the Mingo County Air Transportation Park. The land that once housed the runway, taxiways, and hangars is now occupied by large industrial and commercial buildings, including manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centers for companies like PepsiCo. All traces of the original airport infrastructure have been removed.
The Williamson-Mingo County Airport (formerly FAA identifier: 4I0) was a public-use general aviation airport. Opened sometime after World War II, it served the city of Williamson and the surrounding county for several decades. It featured a single paved runway approximately 3,300 feet long. The airport was a vital transportation link for the relatively isolated Appalachian community, supporting private pilots, business travel (particularly for the coal and gas industries), medical transport, and charter services. Its location in a tight valley made for challenging takeoffs and landings, a common feature for airfields in the region. The ICAO code 'US-11505' provided is a non-standard identifier, likely from a third-party database, not an official ICAO assignment.
There are zero prospects for reopening the airport at its original location. The site is fully occupied by the Mingo County Air Transportation Park, with extensive and permanent infrastructure built directly over the former airfield. Reacquiring the land and demolishing the existing businesses is not feasible. There are no known public plans or proposals to build a replacement airport elsewhere in Mingo County.