Olympic National Park Plane Crash Kills 1, Injures 2 Near Irely Lake

WASHINGTON — A tragic Olympic National Park plane crash has left at least one person dead and two others seriously injured after a small aircraft went down in a remote mountainous area of the park on Tuesday evening.

The incident occurred around 6:50 p.m. near the Irely Lake Trailhead in the Quinault region of the park, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

Olympic National Park Plane Crash Involved Three Occupants

Officials say the aircraft — a Murphy SR3500 Moose — crashed on a steep slope north of the Irely Lake Trailhead, prompting an emergency response coordinated by park rangers and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Search and Rescue.

All three occupants of the plane were airlifted from the crash site and transported to a Level 1 Trauma Center. Sadly, one was pronounced dead, while the two others are currently receiving treatment for their injuries.

📷 NPS Photo by Jon Preston

Cause of Olympic National Park Plane Crash Under Investigation

The Olympic National Park plane crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). No details about the cause of the crash or the identities of the victims have been released as of yet.

Officials stated:

“The cause of the accident is unknown and currently under investigation.”