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Richmond Field

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Coordinates: 42°26′30″N 084°03′59″W / 42.44167°N 84.06639°W / 42.44167; -84.06639
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For other airports named Richmond, see Richmond Airport (disambiguation).
Richmond Field
View from Doyle Road
Summary
Airport typePublic use
OwnerJames Barnes
ServesGregory, Michigan
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL921 ft / 281 m
Coordinates42°26′30″N 084°03′59″W / 42.44167°N 84.06639°W / 42.44167; -84.06639
Map
69G is located in Michigan
69G
69G
Location of airport in Michigan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 2,471 753 Turf
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations6,552
Based aircraft36

Richmond Field (FAA LID: 69G) is a privately owned, public use airport. It is located two nautical miles (4 km) southeast of the central business district of Gregory, a city in Livingston County, Michigan, United States.[1]

The airport is home to multiple gliding clubs.[2][3]

Facilities and aircraft

Richmond Field covers an area of 145 acres (59 ha) at an elevation of 921 feet (281 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 18/36 with a turf surface measuring 2,471 by 100 feet (753 x 30 m).[1][4]

There is no fixed-base operator at the airport.[5] In 1994, a local gliding club purchased additional land at the airport in order to make facility upgrades themselves.[2]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 6,552 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 18 per day. At that time there were 36 aircraft based at this airport: 32 gliders and 4 single-engine airplanes.[1][4]

Accidents and incidents

  • In June 2006, a Beechcraft Bonanza crashed while attempting a diversion to Richmond Field due to engine power loss. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the non-mechanical loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during cruise flight and the unsuitable terrain the pilot selected for the forced landing.[6]
  • On December 14, 2006, a Schleicher AS-K13 contacted trees while on final approach to land. The pilot reported that when he entered the traffic pattern he noticed the wind sock was shifting and the glider was losing altitude at a rate that was faster than the previous flight. He stated that because of this, he turned onto base leg sooner than normal. He reported, "Upon turning there was an immediate sense of an inability to penetrate thru the airmass as the glider continued to lose altitude." He stated he lowered the nose of the glider in an attempt to gain airspeed and flew an abbreviated base leg, heading straight for the runway. The pilot reported he then noted a shift in the wind and the glider descended into the 75 foot tall trees northeast of the approach end of the runway. The probable cause was found to be the pilot's unexpected encounter with wind shear and his inability to remain clear of the trees while on final approach to land.[7]
  • On May 10, 2008, a Schleicher AS-K13 was involved in an accident after takeoff from Richmond Field. The glider became airborne from the towplane and was consistently flying higher than it needed to be. After releasing from the towline, the glider resumed a level pitch attitude and began to decelerate. The pilot selected full nose down trim, in response to his limited pitch control. The glider continued to decelerate and subsequently landed hard on the turf runway. The main landing gear and aft fuselage tubular support structure was substantially damaged during the hard landing. Both wingtips were damaged and there were several fabric tears on the left wing and fuselage. After exiting the glider, the pilot found his handheld communication radio on the cockpit floor. The pilot said that during takeoff the radio must have fell off his seat onto the cockpit floor, restricting the movement of the control stick. The probable cause was found to be the pilot's failure to adequately secure his handheld radio prior to takeoff, which resulted in a restriction of the flight control stick and loss of control.[8]
  • On July 29, 2012, an experimental Smith Applebay Zuni II glider sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees and terrain while in the traffic pattern at the Richmond Field Airport. The pilot had just departed the airport and was unable to find the necessary lift to complete the flight, and even after he joined the downwind leg to land at the airport, he still could not find the needed lift. A witness located at the airport reported that he observed the glider on the downwind leg. He reported that the glider's altitude was low, about 125 to 150 feet agl, and it was in close to the airport and flying "somewhat slowly." The glider seemed to slow down even more as it began to turn to the base leg. The glider's left wing stalled, and the glider pitched down nearly vertically. It completed about 1/2 spin before it disappeared behind the trees about 2,000 feet away. The probable cause was found to be the glider pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed while turning to the base leg of the traffic pattern, which resulted in a stall/spin and impact with trees and terrain.[9][10][11]
  • On June 21, 2023, a Let L-23 Super Blanik glider was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Richmond Field Airport. The student pilot onboard reported that he had been flying the glider until about 10 minutes before the accident, when the flight instructor took control and to find thermals to gain altitude. The student reported that the flight instructor was mostly quiet until he said they were going to perform an off-field landing. The glider flew across a tree line at about 150 ft above ground level and turned to land in a bean field. The student had no further recollection of the accident. The accident is under investigation by the NTSB.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for 69G PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Gliding Club | Michigan | Sandhill Soaring Club". SandhillSoaringClub. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  3. ^ "A great soaring and flying society". Adrian Soaring Club. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  4. ^ a b "AirNav: 69G - Richmond Field Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  5. ^ "Richmond Fld Airport Overview and FBOs (Gregory, MI) [69G]". FlightAware. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  6. ^ Garrison, Peter (2009-06-03). "On the Way to 69G". FLYING Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  7. ^ "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Data Summary". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 8 March 2023.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "Schleicher AS-K13 crash in Michigan (N24BS) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-03-06.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ^ "Smith Applebay Zuni Ii crash in Michigan (N1ZV) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2023-03-06.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ^ "Loss of control Accident Applebay Zuni II N1ZV,". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  11. ^ "Smith Applebay Zuni II glider, N1ZV: Accident occurred July 29, 2012 in Gregory, Michigan". Kathryn's Report. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  12. ^ "Accident LET L-23 Super Blaník N10BR,". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
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