Ocean City Municipal Airport (New Jersey)

In October 1929, Ocean City officials purchased {{Convert|124|acre|ha|abbr=on}} of land between 22nd and 28th street, west of Bay Avenue, for $87,000 (1929 USD). The city planned on building a municipal airport, replacing the grassy field at 18th and Bay. A week after the city purchased the land, the Wall Street crash of 1929 occurred, which halted plans due to lack of money. On September 7, 1932, then-mayor Harry Headley named the undeveloped airport as Clarke Field, after Vincent A. Clarke Jr., commander of the USS Los Angeles airship. On January 5, 1934, Mayor Headley announced that the city received a $100,400 grant (1934 USD) from the Civil Works Administration to construct the new airport – about 75% would go toward labor, employing about 400 people, while the remainder of the cost was for materials.

On January 15, 1934, the future airport had its groundbreaking ceremony. The airport was designed by Erwin L. Schwatt, and was originally intended to have three runways, with material dredged from the bay. On July 4, 1935, the airport opened, after delays due to weather and broken equipment.{{cite journal|author=Fred Miller|title=Flying High|pages=48–49|date=October 2010|journal=Ocean City Magazine|accessdate=August 5, 2018|url=https://issuu.com/stefgodfrey/docs/ocmagseptember_for_issuu/48}} The airport opened to the public in November 1937, making it the only airport on a New Jersey barrier island.{{cite news|title=Ocean City Airport May Receive $2.3 Million Makeover in 2020|author=Donald Wittkowski |date=February 19, 2018|newspaper=OCNJ Daily|accessdate=August 5, 2018|url=http://ocnjdaily.com/ocean-city-airport-may-receive-2-3-million-makeover-in-2020/}}

In February 2018, the city of Ocean City proposed spending $2.3 million to rebuild the airport, replacing the small building that currently houses the airport operation center and a small diner.

Ocean City Municipal Airport covers an area of {{convert|60|acre|ha|lk=on}}. It contains one asphalt paved runway (6/24) measuring {{convert|2972|ft|m|abbr=on}} in length, and {{convert|60|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide.{{cite web|publisher=AirNav, LLC|title=26N Ocean City Municipal Airport|date=March 29, 2018|accessdate=April 17, 2018|url=https://www.airnav.com/airport/26N}}

For the 12-month period ending June 30, 2018, the airport had 22,218 aircraft operations, which averages to 61 per day, with 40% local general aviation and 60% itinerant general aviation. There are 14 aircraft based at this airport: 12 single-engine and 2 multi-engine.

On the airport premises is the Ocean City Municipal Golf Course. The Airport Diner, formerly housed in the airport building, closed during the covid-19 pandemic.

Several incidents have occurred at the airport, warranting investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

• On March 24, 2002, a Cessna 172P veered off the runway upon landing due to high crosswinds.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: IAD02LA038|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020409X00477|accessdate=November 26, 2018}}
• On July 4, 2002, a Mooney M20J crashed and sustained heavy damage upon landing on the runway and veering into nearby marsh.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: IAD02LA070|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20020712X01110&ntsbno=IAD02LA070&akey=1|accessdate=November 26, 2018}}
• On May 19, 2003, a Cessna 175a left the airport and lost engine power. After turning the plane around, the pilot landed the plane in the ocean about {{convert|2|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of the airport.{{cite report|page=45|title=National Transportation Safety Board – Aircraft Accident/Incident Database|url=http://www.airsafety.info/wp-content/uploads/GA040322.pdf|accessdate=November 26, 2018}} A day later on May 20, a Cessna 172G encountered severe turbulence upon landing at the airport. The pilot attempted to abort the landing, but due to insufficient speed, the plane traveled off the runway and crashed into a nearby swamp, which severely damaged the plane and injured the two occupants.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: NYC03LA112|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/about/employment/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20030522X00716&ntsbno=NYC03LA112&akey=1|accessdate=November 26, 2018}}
• On August 29, 2004, a Piper PA-24-180 collided with a wind marker due to pilot error, causing severe damage to the plane, but no injuries to the four occupants.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: IAD04CA042|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20040927X01493&ntsbno=IAD04CA042&akey=1|accessdate=November 26, 2018}}
• On July 4, 2009, a Lancair monoplane flew from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Ocean City Airport, and struck two Canada geese while landing. The plane veered off the runway and struck a light. The accident damaged the plane's propeller, the right-main landing gear, and the frame. The NTSB credited the incident to the lack of a wildlife management program at the airport; as a result, the airport began warning pilots of wildlife. Subsequently, workers captured and removed over 40 geese from the airport.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: ERA09LA384|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20090707X32434&ntsbno=ERA09LA384&akey=1|accessdate=August 14, 2018}}{{cite news|author=Michael Miller|date=June 1, 2011|title=Controlling geese a daily challenge for Ocean City's airport |newspaper=Press of Atlantic City|url=https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/controlling-geese-a-daily-challenge-for-ocean-city-s-airport/article_ebe22126-8cb7-11e0-8381-001cc4c002e0.html}}
• On May 3, 2011, a 1980 Cessna A185F was blown off the runway during takeoff, causing the plane to crash, but no injuries to the pilot.{{Cite news|date=May 4, 2011|title=Small Aircraft Crashes at Ocean City Airport|newspaper=Cape May County Herald|accessdate=September 10, 2018|url=https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/news/government/article_8b15878b-6b15-5b1a-b946-f0d49b1d1b95.html}}
• On August 10, 2017, a CASA 1.131 plane veered off the runway during landing, which damaged the left wing and the landing gear.{{cite report|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|title=NTSB Identification: GAA17CA484|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20170811X32009&key=1|accessdate=November 26, 2018}}
• On August 10, 2018, a Robinson R22 helicopter crashed near the runway, involving a student and a flight instructor; the two occupants were taken to nearby Shore Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.{{cite news|author=Jeff Goldman|title=Helicopter crashes near Ocean City airport, 2 injured|date=August 10, 2018|accessdate=August 14, 2018|publisher=NJ.com|url=https://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/index.ssf/2018/08/1_hurt_as_helicopter_crashes_in_ocean_city.html}}

• List of airports in New Jersey

{{Reflist}}

• {{US-airport-minor|26N}}

{{Ocean City, New Jersey}}

Category:Airports in New Jersey

Category:Ocean City, New Jersey

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Cape May County, New Jersey

Category:Civil Works Administration

Category:New Deal in New Jersey

Category:1935 establishments in New Jersey

Category:Transportation in Cape May County, New Jersey