Soldotna Airport

Soldotna Airport (IATA: SXQ, ICAO: PASX, FAA LID: SXQ) is a city-owned, public use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the central business district of Soldotna, Alaska.^[1]

The airport is located along the south bank of the Kenai River in the southeastern corner of Soldotna city limits, and also adjoins the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Road access to the airport is via Funny River Road, a short distance east of its intersection with the Sterling Highway.

The airport covers an area of 426 acres (172 ha) at an elevation of 113 feet (34 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 7/25 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,000 by 132 feet (1,524 x 40 m).^[1]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 15,050 aircraft operations, an average of 41 per day: 80% general aviation, 20% air taxi, and <1% military. At that time there were 47 aircraft based at this airport: 92% single-engine, 2% multi-engine and 6% ultralight.^[1]

Aviation accidents and incidents

On February 4, 1985, North Pacific Airlines Flight 1802, a Beechcraft BE65-A-80 Queen Air N50NP, on a regularly scheduled flight from Anchorage to Soldotna, crashed 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of the airport while on approach to land. All nine on board (seven passengers and two flight crew) were killed.^[2]

On July 7, 2013, an air taxi crashed, killing all ten people on board.^[3] The single-engine De Havilland Otter, registered to Rediske Air of nearby Nikiski, had a pilot and nine passengers aboard.^[4]

References