Gambell Airport

Last updated
Gambell Airport
Gambell Airport Alaska NAIP image.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerState of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region
Serves Gambell, Alaska
Built1943
Elevation  AMSL 27 ft / 8 m
Coordinates 63°46′00″N171°43′58″W / 63.76667°N 171.73278°W / 63.76667; -171.73278
Map
USA Alaska location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
GAM
Location of airport in Alaska
Gambell Airport
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
ftm
16/344,5001,372Asphalt/concrete

Gambell Airport( IATA : GAM, ICAO : PAGM, FAA LID : GAM) is a public airport located in Gambell, a city in the Nome Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is owned by the state. [1]

Contents

Facilities

Gambell Airport covers an area of 200 acres (81 ha) which contains one asphalt and concrete paved runway (16/34) measuring 4,500 x 96 ft (1,372 x 29 m). [1]

Airlines and destinations

As of February 2025, Gambell Airport (IATA: GAM), located on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska, is served by Bering Air, which operates flights to the following destinations:

Nome (OME): Approximately 50 minutes flight time.

Savoonga (SVA): Approximately 15 minutes flight time.

These routes are currently the only scheduled passenger services available at Gambell Airport.

AirlinesDestinations
Bering Air Nome, Savoonga [2]

Prior to its bankruptcy and cessation of all operations, Ravn Alaska served the airport from multiple locations.

AirlinesAddresses
Bering Air Nom, Savunga
Border Flight Service Kitab
Hageland Aviation Services Nom, Savunga

History

Gambell Airport was used as a transport base during World War II as Gambell Army Airfield, facilitating the transit of Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union. It was also used by the USAAF as an emergency landing field for aircraft patrolling the west coast of Alaska.

On 27 February 1974, a Soviet Union An-24LR carrying a crew of three and ten scientists on an ice-reconnaissance mission landed at Gambell due to fuel exhaustion in bad weather, causing a minor Cold War incident. Villagers, mostly Yupik Native Americans, provided space heaters and food. A U.S. Air Force C-130 flew in a load of fuel bladders with JP-1 fuel from Anchorage to refuel the An-24, which departed at 7:30 pm. She dipped her wings in salute in a pass over the airfield, then returned to Soviet airspace. [3]

On 30 August 1975, Wien Air Alaska Flight 99, a Fairchild F-27B on approach to landing, crashed into Sevuokuk Mountain after multiple missed approaches, killing the pilot and co-pilot and eight others out of the 32 crew and passengers on board. The weather was a low ceiling with sea fog, and below approach minimums. [4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 FAA Airport Form 5010 for GAM PDF , effective 2007-07-05
  2. Bering Air: Nome Flight Schedule Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (PDF). Retrieved 29-August-2007.
  3. CAF Digest: February 26 - March 4, Commemorative Air Force.
  4. NTSB Report on the Crash