A 69-year-old Rosendale man made a Wisconsin helicopter landing at Cabela's in Richfield on Saturday, Aug. 1, after flying to the store instead of driving. The Washington County Sheriff's Office later said the pilot was properly licensed, landed safely and faced no violations or arrests.
Deputies responded at about 6 p.m. after a report that a helicopter had landed in the Cabela's parking lot. The sheriff's office released body camera footage showing a deputy walking up to the parked aircraft and speaking with the pilot about landing requirements.
Rosendale man at Cabela's
The pilot told the deputy he had flown there because “the drive was too long.” That answer gave a simple reason for an unusual arrival: the trip that would normally be made by road ended with a helicopter sitting in a retail parking lot instead.
The sheriff's office said the pilot answered questions about helicopter landing requirements. It also said he complied with all applicable FAA regulations, which helped explain why the landing did not lead to any enforcement action after deputies arrived.
Washington County Sheriff's Office footage
The body camera footage turned a brief local response into a public record of what happened after the landing. The deputy's check on the helicopter was the practical step that followed the report, and the office's release of the video showed how the interaction unfolded at the scene.
The office described the incident as a “unique way to make a shopping trip to avoid all the roundabouts in front of Cabela's.” That description matched the key detail in the pilot's own explanation: he chose the aircraft because the road trip felt too long.
FAA rules at Richfield
For a reader at the store or in the parking lot, the main takeaway is narrow and immediate. The landing drew attention and a deputy response, but the sheriff's office said there were no violations or arrests after reviewing the pilot's license and the landing details.
What remains with the story is the unusual method, not an enforcement case. The helicopter was on the ground, the questions were answered, and the sheriff's office closed the matter without any arrest at Richfield.
