One Dead, Two Injured in Small Plane Crash in Olympic National Park

Authorities are investigating after one person died and two others were injured when a small plane crashed into a remote section of Olympic National Park in Washington.

The fatal incident occurred on Tuesday, July 15 near Quinault, National Park Service officials said in a statement. The plane crashed into a forested, steeply sloped area north of the Irely Lake Trailhead.

“Rangers immediately coordinated a response with Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Search and Rescue,” an NPS spokesperson said in the release. “The three occupants of the plane – a Murphy SR3500 Moose – were transported to a Level 1 Trauma Center.”

The extent of the two survivors’ injuries is unclear, but an NPS spokesperson said they remain hospitalized. They have not been publicly identified.

PEOPLE reached out to the NPS for comment.

The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed its officials have launched an investigation into the crash, noting in a statement to PEOPLE the plane was an “experimental amateur-built” aircraft that crashed around 2:40 p.m. local time.

The National Park Service said park rangers were notified about the incident around 6:50 p.m.

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“The airplane will be extricated from the crash site by helicopter to a location where the NTSB investigator can document it,” an NTSB spokesperson said, noting investigations typically involve three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment.

The NTSB’s preliminary report is set to be released within 30 days of the crash while the full results of the investigation will be published in about 12-24 months.