Three Japanese tourists and the pilot of a light aircraft had to camp out in the Kimberley in Western Australia overnight after their plane made a forced landing on an abandoned airstrip.

Dampier Peninsula police say the pilot was able to land the Beach 36 on the airstrip near the Arafura pearl farm near Beagle Bay just after dark.

"The plane made an emergency landing for some reason, we believe engine failure," Sergeant Noel Howie said today.

"The pilot managed to make intermittent ... contact and he gave us the grid location."

Police then contacted the pearl farm which sent out a party to find the plane.

The pilot and the three Japanese tourists were found this morning.

AAP