Wadsworth Municipal Airport (FAALID: 3G3) is a publicly owned, public use airport located 2 miles southwest of Wadsworth, Ohio in Medina County. The airport sits on 183 acres at an elevation of 974 feet.[1][2]
The airport is host to Balloons Over Wadsworth, a regular balloon festival that, besides a balloon show, provides educational opportunities for youth and adults in aviation- and STEM-related areas. Activities include a balloon show, airplane rides with pilots, live music, a kids-zone, and a "night glow" evening event. Food trucks are also available.[3][4]
History
In 2020, an aircraft formation performed a ceremonial low pass at the airport to mark the completion of improvements for the airport's secondary runway as well as to honor first responders during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6][7]
In 2024, following the expiration of a 40 year lease and several years of no deal being reached, the city vacated 27 hangars.[8]
Facilities and aircraft
The airport has two runways, both paved with asphalt. Runway 2/20 measures 3,530 x 75ft (1076 x 23 m) and runway 10/28 measures 2155 x 35ft (657 x 11 m). In the 12-month period ending October 15, 2020, the airport had 42,340 aircraft operations, an average of 116 per day. This includes 99% general aviation, 1% air taxi, and <1% military. For the same time period, 102 aircraft were based at the airport, including 91 single-engine and 7 multi-engine airplanes as well as 4 gliders.[1][2]
Upgrades to runway 2/20 were completed in 2022 to seal cracks on the runway.[9]
In 2012, the airport considered purchasing adjacent land to further expansion and development at the airport. One of the parcels was vacant, while the other already housed an aircraft hangar.[10]
Since 2016, the airport is home to Avit Flight Academy offering aircraft rentals and training ranging from the private pilot certificate through multi-engine and flight instruction certification.[12] Headquartered at 3G3, the flight school also operates out of MFD, AKR, CAK, BJJ, and 1G5[13] Avit Flight Academy has an authorized Cirrus Training Center at the Akron-Canton Airport location.[14]
Accidents and incidents
On May 31, 2016, a Piper PA24 Comanche was substantially damaged while landing at the Wadsworth Municipal Airport. A flight instructor onboard requested the pilot to make a power-off approach as part of a Biennial Flight Review. On the base leg, it was determined that they would not reach the runway, and power was added so that a normal landing could be completed. On short final, the flight instructor called for more power to be added, which resulted in a pitch up attitude. Subsequently, the pilot reacted by pitching the airplane's nose down, but he inadvertently also reduced power to idle. The airplane continued to sink and touched down in the grass a few feet prior to the runway threshold, which resulted in a collision with the runway threshold. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's inadvertent power reduction during landing, which resulted in a runway undershoot, collision with the runway threshold, nose and right main landing gear collapse, and runway excursion.[15]
On January 11, 2018, a Socata MS893 was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Wadsworth Municipal Airport. The pilot noticed a loss of engine power while on approach to Wadsworth. Following unsuccessful attempts to restore engine power, the pilot executed a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted trees and damaged both wings. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat during the approach, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.[16]
On September 3, 2021, an aircraft crashed into a pond after takeoff from the Wadsworth Municipal Airport. Ohio State Highway Patrol reported the aircraft had been in contact with air traffic control and may have experienced mechanical problems. A witness reported hearing the aircraft would attempt to return due to a canopy problem.[17][18][19]
On September 18, 2021, an experimentally-built Rans S-20 Raven crashed shortly after takeoff from Wadsworth Municipal Airport. While departing, the plane's nose struck the runway, causing it to flip on its top and catch fire. The aircraft was departing after another helicopter had just landed; after becoming airborne, the accident airplane entered a steep roll and impacted the runway. The pilot was declared dead at the scene, and a blood toxicology found ethanol present. The probable cause of the crash was found to be the pilot's decision to depart shortly after a landing helicopter, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopter's wake turbulence and a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment by his recent use of ethanol.[20][21][22]
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