Jefferson County Airpark
The Jefferson County Airpark , also known as Geary A. Bates Airport, is a full-service general aviation public airport near Steubenville, Ohio, U.S., part of the Pittsburgh Combined Statistical Area that serves small and mid-sized private, corporate and commercial traffic. The airport serves transients traveling to and from Eastern Ohio, the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania. The airport founded in January 1948 by R. G. and Pauline Pier as Pier Airport.
History
The airport was founded in the 1940s by Rene Pier. It was purchased by Dominic Teramana in the 1980s and was sold to the county in 1985. The Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority was established in 1992.Facilities and aircraft
The Geary A Bates/Jefferson County Airpark has one runway, designated as runway 14/32. It measures 5001 x 75 ft and is paved with asphalt.The airport has a fixed-base operator that sells fuel, both avgas and jet fuel. It offers services such as catering, courtesy cars, and more in addition to amenities such as internet, conference rooms, a crew lounge, showers, and more.
For the 12-month period ending September 27, 2022, the airport had 10,585 aircraft operations, an average of 29 per day. This was 96% general aviation, 2% air taxi, and 1% military. For the same time period, there were 34 aircraft based at the airport: 31 single-engine airplanes, 1 multi-engine airplane, 1 jet, and 1 helicopter.
Accidents and incidents
- On October 14, 2000, a Cessna 172 was damaged while landing at the Jefferson County Airport. During the roundout, as the airplane entered ground effect the left wing suddenly lifted skyward, and the airplane touched down hard on the right main landing gear. The plane was pushed off the runway, and the propeller impacted runway lights. The pilot attempted a go-around, but the plane stalled. The pilot attempted to retract the flaps, and the plane impacted trees. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.