Visitor cited for flight violations in Olympic National Park and Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

A Forks, Washington pilot was contacted and cited by an Olympic National Park Ranger after landing an ultralight aircraft on a beach within the wilderness coast of the park on March 4, 2013.   The plane was observed by park employees who were working on the coast and he was contacted at Forks airport by a ranger and cited.

The man said he landed there in order to look at the Japanese dock which washed up on the beach after the tsunami. 

The pilot was also given a written warning by a law enforcement officer from the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary for flying below the 2,000 foot flight limit within the Sanctuary.

These regulations are in place for visitor safety and to protect marine mammals and nesting seabirds from disturbance by low flying aircraft and are an important part of protecting wildlife along the coast.

Olympic National Park News Release