View source for Buchanan Field Airport

{{Short description|Regional airport in Contra Costa County, California}}
{{For|other airports in places named Concord|Concord Airport (disambiguation){{!}}Concord Airport}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox airport
| name         = {{plainlist| 
Buchanan Field Airport
{{small|Concord Army Air Base}}}}
| image        = Buchanan Field Airport - USGS Topo.jpg
| image-width  =
| caption      = [[USGS]] [[orthophoto]], 2006
| IATA         = CCR
| ICAO         = KCCR
| FAA          = CCR
| WMO = 72495
| type         = Public
| owner        = Contra Costa County
| operator     = 
| opened       = {{start date|1947}}
| city-served  = [[Contra Costa County, California]]
| location     = {{hlist|[[Concord, California|Concord]]|[[Pacheco, California|Pacheco]]}}
| elevation-f  = 26
| elevation-m  = 8
| website      = 
| coordinates  = {{coord|37|59|23|N|122|03|25|W|region:US-CA_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| image_map              = KCCR Runway Diagram.jpg
| image_mapsize          =
| image_map_alt          = 250
| image_map_caption      = FAA diagram
| pushpin_map            = USA California#USA
| pushpin_relief         = yes
| pushpin_mapsize        = 250
| pushpin_label          = '''CCR'''
| pushpin_label_position = right
| r1-number    = 1L/19R
| r1-length-f  = 5,001
| r1-length-m  = 1,524
| r1-surface   = {{hlist|Asphalt|concrete}}
| r2-number    = 1R/19L
| r2-length-f  = 2,770
| r2-length-m  = 844
| r2-surface   = Asphalt
| r3-number    = 14L/32R
| r3-length-f  = 4,602
| r3-length-m  = 1,403
| r3-surface   = {{hlist|Asphalt|concrete}}
| r4-number    = 14R/32L
| r4-length-f  = 2,798
| r4-length-m  = 853
| r4-surface   = Asphalt
| stat-year    = 2022
| stat1-header = Aircraft operations (year ending 4/30/2022)
| stat1-data   = 119,598
| stat2-header = Based aircraft
| stat2-data   = 340
| footnotes    = Source: [[Federal Aviation Administration]]<ref name="FAA">{{FAA-airport|ID=CCR|use=PU|own=PU|site=01437.*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 13, 2023.</ref>
}}

'''Buchanan Field Airport'''<ref name="County">{{cite web | url = http://ca-contracostacounty.civicplus.com/static/depart/airport/ | title = Contra Costa County Airports | accessdate = April 24, 2012 | archive-date = April 26, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426210650/http://ca-contracostacounty.civicplus.com/static/depart/airport/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> {{airport codes|CCR|KCCR|CCR}} is a medium-sized general and business public airport in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]], [[California]], United States,<ref name="FAA" /><ref name="GNIS">{{cite gnis |type=retired| id = 1653363 | name = Buchanan Field | accessdate = May 4, 2009}}</ref> one mile west of the center of [[Concord, California|Concord]]<ref name="FAA"/><ref name="GNIS"/> and just east of [[Pacheco, California|Pacheco]] in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. The airport's street address is 181{{nbsp}}John Glenn Drive Ste. 100, Concord.<ref name="County" /> 

The [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] for 2011–15 [[FAA airport categories|categorized]] it as a ''[[reliever airport]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf |title=2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A (PDF, 2.03 MB) |work=National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |date=4 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084535/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf |archivedate=2012-09-27 }}</ref> and it has an FAA certified [[Air traffic control#Airport traffic control tower|airport traffic control tower]].

== History ==

In 1942 [[Contra Costa County, California]], purchased land for an airport in Central County for {{US$|88000|link=yes}}. The airport was being developed by the county until the [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[Fourth Air Force]] [[Nationalization|expropriated]] the site. The Army added land and built airport facilities and a training base for [[aircraft pilot|pilots]], '''Concord Army Air Base'''.<ref name="CCCA">{{cite web | url = http://www.buchananfield-byronairports.org/TheHistoryofContraCostaCountyAirports.htm | title = The History of Contra Costa County Airports | publisher = Contra Costa County Airports | accessdate = August 14, 2007 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080820093654/http://www.buchananfield-byronairports.org/TheHistoryofContraCostaCountyAirports.htm | archivedate = August 20, 2008}}</ref>

In 1946 the [[War Assets Administration]] (WAA) returned the airport to the county. In 1947 the transfer was formalized and the airport was named for County Supervisor William{{nbsp}}J. Buchanan, who served on the county Board of Supervisors (BOS) for more than forty years. The airport continued to be used on occasion by the [[United States Army]] to transport troops, especially during the [[Korean War]].<ref name="CCCA" />

In 1972 [[George Lucas]] used Buchanan Field Airport for one of the last exterior scenes in the movie ''[[American Graffiti]]''.  In the scene, Steven Bolander ([[Ron Howard]]) says goodbye to friend Curt Henderson ([[Richard Dreyfuss]]) before Curt leaves for college on the [[Douglas DC-7|Douglas DC-7C]] in the background.

In 1977 Buchanan Field reached its peak of activity with 357,000 total operations; by that criterion, Buchanan Field was the 16th busiest airport in the nation, ahead of [[San Francisco International Airport]], [[John&nbsp;F. Kennedy International Airport]], and [[LaGuardia Airport]]. During this time noise became a concern and in 1988 the county BOS instituted a county [[noise restriction]] ordinance restricting certain aircraft from operating at Buchanan Field.<ref name="CCCA" />

Beginning in the 1990s the county BOS updated the Buchanan Field Airport [[Comprehensive planning|Master Plan]]. Commercial development of adjacent properties such as [[Sam's Club]], [[Taco Bell]], [[Sports Authority]], and [[Jiffy Lube]] was allowed in 1992.<ref name="CCCA" /> The county has developed a new airport in [[Byron Airport|Byron]] in the eastern part of the county.<ref name="CCCA" /><ref>{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}</ref>

On August 14, 2018, the county BOS passed a resolution declaring the economic importance of these airports by recognizing that they are essential economic engines that aid Contra Costa County to meet the current and future transportation and economic needs of the community. The BOS further directed staff to proactively pursue innovation and sustainable opportunities to enhance the economic development potential of the airports, as they are capital assets to the county and an integrated transportation asset to the Bay Area region.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

== Airline and destinations ==
<!-- Please use only independent sources. The airport and airlines themselves are not independent sources. -->
{{Update section|date=January 2022}}

=== Current airline service ===
[[JSX (airline)|JSX]] started commercial airline service on April 19, 2016, with [[Embraer 135]] aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crankyflier.com/2016/04/07/meet-jetsuitex-an-operation-trying-to-turn-an-unloved-regional-jet-into-something-awesome/|title=Meet JetSuiteX, An Operation Trying to Turn an Unloved Regional Jet into Something Awesome|date=April 6, 2016 |accessdate=May 31, 2022}}</ref>

{{Airport destination list | 3rdcoltitle = Refs | 3rdcolunsortable=yes
| [[JSX (airline)|JSX]] | [[Bob Hope Airport|Burbank]], [[Harry Reid International Airport|Las Vegas]], [[John Wayne Airport|Orange County]] | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsx.com/destinations-wherewefly|title=Where we fly|accessdate=May 31, 2022}}</ref>
}}

=== Past airline service ===

Buchanan Field had commuter airline flights to [[San Francisco International Airport]] from 1969 to 1979 on [[Stol Air Commuter]] [[Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander]]s and [[Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander]]s. In 1969 [[San Francisco and Oakland Helicopter Airlines]] (also known as SFO Helicopter) scheduled [[Sikorsky S-61]]s nonstop to [[Oakland International Airport]] continuing to [[SFO]], up to five flights a day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=April 27, 1969, SFO Helicopter timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.timetableimages.com}}</ref> SFO Helicopter had left the airport by 1975.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oct. 26, 1975, SFO Helicopter timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.timetableimages.com}}</ref> In 1978 Stol Air had up to six flights a day to SFO; they ended in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web |title=June 1, 1978, Stol Air timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.timetableimages.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nov. 15, 1979, Official Airline Guide |url=http://www.departedflights.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.departedflights.com}}</ref>

Airline service returned to the airport in mid-1984: for less than a year, [[WestAir Commuter Airlines]], successor to Stol Air, had eight weekday [[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]]s to SFO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Feb. 15, 1985, Official Airline Guide |url=http://www.departedflights.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.departedflights.com}}</ref> WestAir, then independent, left [[Concord, California|Concord]] before becoming a [[United Express]] airline.

Jet service arrived when [[Pacific Southwest Airlines|Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA)]] began nonstop [[BAe 146-200]]s to [[Los Angeles International Airport]] (LAX) on May 1, 1986. In 1988, after being acquired by [[USAir]], PSA had four weekday BAe 146s to LAX with one continuing to San Diego.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Feb. 17, 1988, PSA timetable |url=http://www.departedflights.com/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.departedflights.com}}</ref> In 1991 USAir replaced the BAe 146s to LAX with [[USAir Express]] Dash 8s, then [[Beechcraft 1900C]]s; these ended around the end of 1991.<ref name="depart1">http://www.departedflights.com, Oct. 1, 1991, Official Airline Guide</ref>

In 1991 [[American Eagle Airlines]] ([[Wings West Airlines]]) had four daily [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner]]s to [[American Airlines]]' hub at San Jose.<ref name="depart1" /> American later shut down its San Jose hub and American Eagle dropped Concord in 1992.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

== Facilities ==

Buchanan Field covers {{convert|495|acre|abbr=off|sp=us}} at an elevation of {{convert|26|feet|abbr=off|sp=us}}. It has four asphalt and concrete runways: 1L/19R is {{convert|5001x150|feet|abbr=off|sp=us}}, 1R/19L is {{convert|2770x75|feet}}, 14L/32R is {{convert|4602x150|feet}}, and 14R/32L is {{convert|2798x75|feet}}.<ref name="FAA" />

In the year ending April 30, 2022, the airport had 119,598 aircraft operations, an average of 327 per day: 95 percent [[general aviation]], 5 percent [[air taxi]], and less than 1 percent military and less than 1 percent commercial. 340 aircraft were then based at the airport: 284 single-engine, 30 multi-engine, 17 jet, and 9 [[helicopter]].<ref name="FAA" />

== Accidents ==

On the evening of December 23, 1985, a [[Beechcraft Baron]] N1494G, executing a missed approach from an [[instrument approach]] (IAP) to runway 19R, lost control and crashed into the roof of the [[Macy's]] department store at the nearby [[Sunvalley Shopping Center]], killing the pilot and two passengers and seriously injuring 84 people in the crowded mall, spraying them with burning [[aviation fuel]]. Four of the victims on the ground later died. The accident brought increased opposition to the airport and caused [[Pacific Southwest Airlines]] (PSA) to delay its flights that had been planned to start in January 1986.

Another plane crashed on April 13, 2004, shortly after leaving Buchanan Field. The plane landed on a minivan traveling down nearby [[Interstate 680 (California)|Interstate 680]] in [[Pleasant Hill, California|Pleasant Hill]] and injured a 12-year-old girl. Officials determined the crash was the fault of an [[aircraft maintenance technician]] who had worked on the plane.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/04/14/MNGGV64RA21.DTL | work=The San Francisco Chronicle | first1=Kevin | last1=Fagan | first2=Erin | last2=Hallissy | title=Small plane crashes on I-680 at rush hour / Girl in van injured -- pilot walks away | date=June 24, 2011}}</ref>

On December 21, 2006, at about 11:05 a.m., a 1989 [[Piper Malibu]] (PA46), registered as N1AM, crashed while flying the LDA ([[localizer type directional aid]]) approach into CCR. The aircraft was too low and hit obstructions on the ground. The plane hit the median of [[California State Route 4|Highway&nbsp;4]], crashing between the highway and Marsh Drive just north of the runway. Three passengers were killed instantly, and another died after surgery.<ref>{{cite news|title=Names Of Concord Plane Crash Victims Released|url=http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/names-of-concord-plane-crash-victims-released/nKr5x/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140929162500/http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/names-of-concord-plane-crash-victims-released/nKr5x/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2014|accessdate=29 September 2014|date=Dec 22, 2006}}</ref>

[[File:PiperBuchanan.jpg|right|thumb|Piper accident at Buchanan Field that killed three adults and a child&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;December 21, 2006]]

On October 25, 2016, shortly after departing Buchanan Field, a [[Beechcraft Bonanza]] registered as N364RM crashed into a hill near Kirker Pass Road in Concord. The two occupants, both pilots, were killed in the crash. No one on the ground was injured. The investigation was unable to determine the cause of the accident, although issues with a recent avionics upgrade were suspected.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 26, 2019 |title=NTSB Accident Report |url=https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94283/pdf |website=NTSB Accident Report}}</ref>

On January 30, 2024, a Van’s Aircraft [[Van's Aircraft RV-6|RV-6]], a single-engine plane, crashed at around 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Concord Ave. and Diamond Boulevard, near the southern end of the airport. The pilot, who was the only occupant of the plane, was killed in the crash. <ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2024 |title=NBC report|url= https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/concord-plane-crash/3437843/|website=NBC}}</ref>

== See also ==

{{Portal|Aviation|California|San Francisco Bay Area}}

* [[California World War II Army Airfields]]
* [[List of airports in the San Francisco Bay area]]

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==

* {{official website}}
* [http://www.concordairport.com/ The Airport Coalition]
* [http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/SunValley_Mall_Crash.htm Sunvalley Mall Crash]
* [http://msrmaps.com/map.aspx?t=4&s=11&lat=37.9885&lon=-122.0575&w=750&h=1150&lp=---+None+--- Aerial image as of February 2004]{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} from [[USGS]] ''[[The National Map]]''
* {{FAA-diagram|05320}}
* {{FAA-procedures|CCR}}
{{US-airport-ga|CCR}}
{{clear}}
{{Airports in the San Francisco Bay Area}}
{{USAAF 4th Air Force World War II}}
{{USAAF Training Bases World War II}}

[[Category:Airports in Contra Costa County, California]]
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in California]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Concord, California]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1942]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in California]]