STILLWATER, Okla. — Stillwater Regional Airport suffered "significant" airfield damage after an unauthorized military aircraft landed on the airport's runway.
A U.S. Airforce C-17 Globe Master aircraft landed at the airport around noon on Sunday, carrying the U.S. Air Force women's basketball team to Stillwater to play against Oklahoma State University.
According to Stillwater airport officials, all charter flights are "required to receive permission" before arriving to ensure safety regulations, and so the airport can accommodate all needs. They say the military aircraft did not request or was granted permission to arrive at the airport.
In October, the U.S. Air Force Baseball Team previously requested to land at the airport with the same aircraft type and was denied due to weight limits.
The airport's published maximum weight capacity is around 310,000 pounds, and the C-17 is around 400,000 pounds or 45 tons over the weight limit.
Because the airport's airfield pavement consists of multiple levels, there is a possibility of potential damage multiple feet beneath the surface. Engineers are now assessing long-term damage to the structural integrity of the runway and taxiway.
It is unknown why the pilot decided to land at SWO.
Stillwater airport officials are currently talking with the U.S. Air Force, as well as asking the Federal Aviation Administration to open an investigation into the incident.
At this time, the airport is still considered safe and operational.
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