Springfield Branson National Airport

A slight bump in passengers gives the Springfield-Branson National Airport hope amidst new merger uncertainty. We take a closer look in this week's Springfield Business Journal report. Despite other area airports recording a decrease in passenger's, Springfield-Branson National Airport officials say they saw nearly a 3% increase. But they are still navigating through the announced merger between American Airlines and US airways. Among the uncertainty is what is going to happen to dozens of employees.

  We are following a developing story in northwest Springfield late Sunday afternoon, September 11th.   Two people have died in a car crash near the Springfield-Branson National Airport.   It happened late afternoon on Route EE just north of the airport round-about.   According to on-scene responders at least one of the cars caught fire with the driver trapped inside.   The victims have not been identified and a cause of the crash has not been determined.   We have a crew at the site of the wreck; we will bring you more information Sunday night on KSPR News at 10.

Airport officials say United, American and Delta Airlines are sending some of their St. Louis bound passengers to Springfield airport.       Once here, some are being shuttled to St. Louis, and some are renting cars.       Airport officials say it's been busier than usual for a Saturday but they're not swamped with people.

A spokesman for the Springfield Branson National Airport says their plans to repave one runway this month will not be affected by funding issues at the FAA. Kent Boyd tells KSPR News "our money is essentially in the bank. "   But if something happens and the funds stop transferring "we'll pay the contractors ourselves and wait to be paid back" by the federal government. "We can't stop this project for obvious reasons," he said. The airport is planning a $7.2 million repavement of one runway.    On August 12 the airport will shut down for three days to allow crews to work on the runway.   During that time - commercial flights will not fly in or out of Springfield Branson National.   Each runway consists of 14-16 inches of concrete.  Boyd compares it to the amount of concrete on an interstate highway.

KSPR has learned the plans have now stopped for a non-commercial airport in Ozark and the land is being put up for sale. In 2001, the Springfield-Branson National Airport bought the area known as Air Park South.  It's 265 acres of prime land along Highway 65, just across the highway from Lambert's Cafe.  The airport used millions in grant money from MoDOT and the federal government to buy it. Air Park South was supposed to...

A small plane was forced to land in a field several miles away from the Springfield-Branson National Airport Monday evening (7-16).   Airport spokesman Kent Boyd said the emergency call came in shortly before 7 p.m. from a pilot who was running low on fuel.  A few minutes later the plane was on the ground. A spokesperson at Greene County emergency dispatch tells KSPR News the pilot called them to say everything was okay and no one was hurt.  They said the plane landed in a field off Highway 160 but did not have an exact location.

The object for firefighters isn't "practice makes perfect" - it's "perfect practice makes perfect," because in real aircraft emergencies, there's no room for error. On Thursday the Springfield-Branson National Airport will hold its tri-annual disaster drill.   Normally these drills work like this: firefighters and medical crews respond to a reported plane crash. When they get to the scene they find plane parts strewn about, and actors with mock injuries.   This year realism gets a boost: there's going to be a mock airplane, and it's going to be on fire.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Passenger numbers were up at the Springfield airport in 2012.  That increase bucks national and regional trends. “Our total passenger numbers were up 2.8 percent in 2012,” said Brian Weiler, airport director of aviation.  “In this tight airline economy that's impressive.  It shows there's strong passenger demand in Springfield.” Total passenger numbers at competing airports prove the point.  Tulsa was down 2...

Springfield, MO--"You never know when it's going to happen. " says Eric Sanders who has worked as a firefighter at the Springfield-Branson National Airport for more than 10 years.  He's seen a few crashes but never seen a plane catch on fire. Even though he has never dealt with a fire in the past decade he says his team is ready.  Mock airplane crashes like this one today is essential for training and keeping skills sharp.  "You need to know the ends and outs of what we need to be doing in case something bad does happen.

The 515th Engineer Company 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade deploys in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Sunday at 3:30 am from the Springfield-Branson National Airport. The 515th is trained in and performs all three aspects of Combat Engineering namely; mobility, counter mobility and survivability in support of the fighting force.    The 515th will conduct Route Clearance operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan while deployed.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Smoke filled the cockpit of an American Egale jet headed from Dallas to Springfield Friday evening. The plane's pilot reported the smoke at 7:15 p.m.  The plane landed at the Springfield-Branson National Airport about fifteen minutes later.  Engency vehicles responded as a precaution.  All 51 passengers aboard refused medical treatment.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Springfield, MO--"You never know when it's going to happen. " says Eric Sanders who has worked as a firefighter at the Springfield-Branson National Airport for more than 10 years.  He's seen a few crashes but never seen a plane catch on fire. Even though he has never dealt with a fire in the past decade he says his team is ready.  Mock airplane crashes like this one today is essential for training and keeping skills sharp.  "You need to know the ends and outs of what we need to be doing in case something bad does happen.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A wide-ranging storm is burying thoughts of springtime weather across a number of Midwestern states under a blanket of snow and slush.   The National Weather Service says the storm is expected to dump 6 to 10 inches of snow over central Indiana before moving into Ohio.   The St. Louis area saw some of the highest totals, with as much as 14 inches in some areas by late Sunday. This is causing some delays at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - First Lady Michelle Obama is headed to Springfield today to get people moving. She's expected to make a stop at a Walmart Neighborhood Market as a part of her "Let's Move" tour. The First Lady will arrive at Springfield-Branson National Airport later today. Obama is expected to fly into the airport here and head over to a Walmart Neighborhood Market this afternoon.   We can't say which store she's going to because of security reasons, but we do know when she gets there she'll be talking healthy living.

A slight bump in passengers gives the Springfield-Branson National Airport hope amidst new merger uncertainty. We take a closer look in this week's Springfield Business Journal report. Despite other area airports recording a decrease in passenger's, Springfield-Branson National Airport officials say they saw nearly a 3% increase. But they are still navigating through the announced merger between American Airlines and US airways. Among the uncertainty is what is going to happen to dozens of employees.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Passenger numbers were up at the Springfield airport in 2012.  That increase bucks national and regional trends. “Our total passenger numbers were up 2.8 percent in 2012,” said Brian Weiler, airport director of aviation.  “In this tight airline economy that's impressive.  It shows there's strong passenger demand in Springfield.” Total passenger numbers at competing airports prove the point.  Tulsa was down 2...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The pilot of a small plane made two attempts to find a runway at Springfield-Branson National Airport before the plane crashed last Saturday.  A preliminary report on the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board does not indicate that pilot John Lambert said he was having any mechanical problems before the crash.   Lambert, his three children, and a family friend died in the crash, which happened about 12:20 a.m. Saturday.  The group flew out of the Lee's Summit Municipal Airport after attending a Kansas City Royals game on Friday night.

Nearly a week after a Springfield family and a friend were killed in a fiery plane crash in a field near Willard, we got new information about what may have gone wrong.  The National Transportation and Safety Board released its preliminary report.   John Lambert, his three children, and his friend Robin Melton were flying back to Springfield last Friday night after a Royals game.  About five miles out from the Springfield-Branson National Airport, Lambert told air traffic control he needed a second approach.  One of the area's most experienced pilots says that's a major red flag.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Springfield students and faculty members leaned on each other for support Monday to mourn the deaths of three classmates killed in a plane crash. 16-year-old Grayson, 15-year-old McKinley, and 10-year-old Joshua Lambert died along with their father, John Lambert and family friend Robin Melton just after midnight Saturday. The plane Lambert piloted crashed in a field just north of Highway 123 near Willard. Throughout the Springfield school system, those who knew the family and friends wore orange, McKinley's favorite color.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Investigators worked throughout the weekend to determine why a small plane crashed into an open field just north of the Springfield-Branson National Airport. The 2002 Cirrus SR22 went down after midnight Saturday north of State Highway 123 near Willard. Four of the victims were from the same Springfield family. 44-year-old John Lambert was the President of the Board of Directors for the OTC Foundation. Lambert, his 16-year-old son Grayson, 15-year-old daughter McKinley, and 10-year-old son Joshua were killed on impact.