Mercer County Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMercer County Airport Authority
ServesBluefield / Princeton, West Virginia
Elevation AMSL2,857 ft / 871 m
Coordinates37°17′45″N 081°12′28″W / 37.29583°N 81.20778°W / 37.29583; -81.20778
Map
BLF is located in West Virginia
BLF
BLF
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 4,743 1,446 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft operations (year ending 7/11/2023)16,400
Based aircraft21

Mercer County Airport (IATA: BLF, ICAO: KBLF, FAA LID: BLF) is in Mercer County,[1] three miles northeast of Bluefield, West Virginia[1] and about nine miles southwest of Princeton, West Virginia. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility.[2]

The airport has been served by scheduled airlines. Service was subsidized by the Essential Air Service program until August 1, 2006, when it ended due to federal law not allowing a subsidy over $200 per passenger for communities within 210 miles of a large or medium hub airport (Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in North Carolina being 173 miles away).[3] Federal Aviation Administration records say Mercer County Airport had 2,041 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2004, 1,885 enplanments in 2005,[4] 1,833 in 2006 and 1,721 in 2007.[5] Scheduled passenger flights ended in 2007.

Facilities

Mercer County Airport covers 511 acres (207 ha) at an elevation of 2,857 feet (871 m). Its one runway, 5/23, is 4,743 by 100 feet (1,446 x 30 m) asphalt.[1]

In the year ending July 11, 2023, the airport had 16,400 aircraft operations, average 45 per day: 88% general aviation, 11% air taxi, and <1% military. 21 aircraft were then based at this airport: 15 single-engine, 5 helicopter, and 1 ultralight.[1]

Former airlines

Accidents at BLF

  • On April 12, 1961, a Douglas DC-3 operated by US Steel Corp. was damaged beyond repair in a runway excursion and went over an embankment. There were no fatalities or injuries.[8]
  • On January 21, 1981, a Cessna Citation I operated by Georgia-Pacific Corp. crashed after an attempted go-around on a slushy runway, overran the runway, struck three localizer antennas and a 10 foot embankment before plunging into a steep wooded hillside. All five occupants were killed.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 FAA Airport Form 5010 for BLF PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective September 7, 2023.
  2. ↑ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF, 2.03 MB) on September 27, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Order 2006-6-22: Terminating the Essential Air Service subsidy eligibility of Bluefield/Princeton, West Virginia, as of August 1, 2006". U.S. Department of Transportation. June 26, 2006.
  4. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2005" (PDF). CY 2005 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. 2006.
  5. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2007" (PDF). CY 2007 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. September 26, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Flying Service To Begin Flights". Kingsport Times-News. Kingsport, Tennessee. 14 Aug 1977 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Aeromech timetbles 1982 & 1983
  8. ↑ Accident description for N541S at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on September 16, 2023.
  9. ↑ Accident description for N501GP at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on September 16, 2023.

Other sources

  • Essential Air Service documents (Docket OST-1997-2761) from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
    • Order 2002-4-25 (May 2, 2002): tentatively reselects Colgan Air, Inc. d/b/a US Airways Express, to provide essential air services at Beckley and Bluefield/Princeton, West Virginia, for the two-year period beginning August 1, 2002, at an annual subsidy rate to $2,067,693,
    • Order 2002-10-34 (October 31, 2002): finalizes the tentative findings and conclusions set forth in Order 2002-4-25.
    • Order 2004-6-14 (June 23, 2004): selects Colgan Air, Inc., d/b/a US Airways Express, to continue providing essential air service at Beckley and Bluefield/Princeton, West Virginia, for the two-year period beginning August 1, 2004, at an annual subsidy of $20,017,064.
    • Order 2006-6-22 (June 26, 2006): terminating the essential air service subsidy eligibility of Bluefield/Princeton, West Virginia, as of August 1, 2006, and allowing Colgan Air, Inc., d/b/a US Airways Express, to suspend service there as of the same date, if it chooses (subsidy per passenger already exceeded the statutory ceiling of $200 per passenger and the community is located 173 miles from Charlotte, the nearest large or medium hub).
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