A 69-year-old Rosendale man landed a helicopter in the Cabela’s parking lot in Richfield on Saturday, Aug. 1, and a deputy was sent to check it out about 6 p.m. The pilot told the deputy he had flown there because the drive was too long.
The unusual stop has drawn attention because it put a helicopter down in the middle of a retail parking lot, yet the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said there were no violations or arrests. The pilot was properly licensed, landed safely and complied with all applicable FAA regulations.
The sheriff’s office later described the landing as a unique way to make a shopping trip and avoid the roundabouts in front of Cabela’s. Body camera footage released by the office shows a deputy walking up to the helicopter and speaking with the pilot after the report came in.
What makes the episode stand out is not that the helicopter was there, but that it was there without any enforcement action. The deputy asked about helicopter landing requirements, the pilot answered, and the case ended there.
For Washington County, the story is closed. For anyone headed to Cabela’s, it is now also a reminder that the parking lot can see arrivals by road or, in this case, by air.
