Department of Land and Natural Resources

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

NEIL ABERCROMBIE GOVERNOR

WILLIAM J. AILA JR, CHAIRPERSON

For Immediate News Release September 13, 2013

DLNR TO REOPEN KALALAU TRAIL SATURDAY MORNING
Downed helicopter to be removed

LIHUE — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of State Parks will reopen the Kalalau trail in Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kaua, tomorrow to hikers and campers.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration today released the site of the helicopter incident at Kalalau Beach to Airborne Aviation (AA) to begin removing its helicopter from Napali Coast State Wilderness Park.

The trail was closed yesterday due to an aviation accident at Kalalau beach that involved a hired Alliance Aviation helicopter, pilot and two State Park employees who were conducting a routine maintenance project in the park. Only minor injuries were sustained by the passengers. Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers maintained a security watch over the craft until it was removed.

Division of State Parks crews were concluding a three-day enforcement and maintenance project to clear and remove large quantities of discarded camping gear and associated trash and garbage from illegal campsites throughout Kalalau valley. It costs about $20,000 to remove these items from Kalalau via helicopter sling loads.

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For more information, news media may contact:  

Deborah Ward, 
DLNR Public Information Specialist  
Phone: (808) 587-0320