Sandy Creek Airpark
Sandy Creek Airpark is a private residential airpark located in the East Bay Sector, 10 miles southeast of the central business district of Panama City, in Bay County, Florida, United States. This airport has one dusk-to-dawn lighted runway, and a green-white beacon. The facility is used primarily by residents/association members, their tenants and guests, and members of the EAA Chapter 202.
Phase I of Sandy Creek Airpark was completed in 1983, followed by Phase II in 1988. Sandy Creek Airpark will soon develop Phase III. Improvements will include extending the runway, in addition to residential and light commercial development.
Panama City-Bay County International Airport planned to relocate outside the city limits to the West Bay Sector in 2009. Sandy Creek Airpark planned to accommodate the general aviation community of eastern Bay County and western Gulf County.
In 2019, the airport was threatened by a 300 acre wildfire.
Facilities and aircraft
Sandy Creek Airpark covers an area of which contains one runway with an asphalt surface measuring 3,400 x 60 ft. There are 20 aircraft based at this airport: 75% single-engine airplanes and 25% ultralight.The airport does not have a fixed-base operator.
Accidents & incidents
- On September 5, 1998, an experimental Glasair II RG crashed while attempting a precautionary landing to the Sandy Creek Airpark. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during a precautionary landing following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
- On September 10, 2011, an experimental Thorp T-18 Tiger was damaged when its landing gear struck a culvert while landing on the Sandy Creek Airpark's grass runway.
- On July 11, 2012, a Cessna 170 was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Sandy Creek Airpark. The probable cause of the accident was found to be a total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, the pilot/owner's inadequate preflight inspection of his airplane, and his failure to maintain airplane control after the engine failure.
- On April 18, 2022, a Piper Warrior crashed shortly after takeoff from the Sandy Creek Airpark.