"I thought the war had started": a private helicopter landed almost at the entrance of a residential building in Riga

### "I thought the war had started" On Wednesday, residents of several houses on Akacijas Street unexpectedly heard a loud noise. Looking out the windows, they saw a helicopter descending right in the middle of a residential area, reports the program [TV3](https://tv3.lv/degpunkta/degpunkta-satiksme/imantas-iedzivotaji-nespej-noticet-savam-acim-piemajas-pagalma-nosezas-helikopters/) Degpunktā. A small white aircraft landed on a vacant plot of land surrounded by apartment buildings. The event came as a complete surprise to the locals. > "The sound was such that I thought the war had started. We ran out into the street, and the helicopter was descending — it landed almost right by the house, near the entrance," said eyewitness Sandra. According to her, the helicopter remained on the ground for about five minutes. > "It stayed, buzzed, and then beautifully took off into the air and flew away," the woman recalls. ### The helicopter landed right in front of the apartment windows Another resident of the building, Alexander, noticed the aircraft when he entered the bedroom. > "I walked into the bedroom and saw — a helicopter landing right by the window. It was clear that there was a very strong wind coming from the rotors," the man said. His children woke up due to the noise. Both Alexander and Sandra, who works at a nearby technical school, claim they have never seen helicopters landing in this area before. The plot chosen by the pilot for landing is undeveloped. It has tall grass and a few trees. Although the landing and subsequent takeoff occurred without visible incidents, residents raised the question: why did the helicopter land in such a place at all? ### It was not an emergency landing Journalists from Degpunktā contacted the Civil Aviation Agency for clarification. The head of the agency's operational situations department, Aivis Vintsev, reported that an investigation into the incident has been initiated. According to preliminary data, the landing was not forced or emergency. The agency has already managed to identify the pilot. It has also been determined that this was a private flight. However, the reasons why the pilot decided to land near residential buildings have not yet been clarified. ### Is it permissible to land a helicopter in the yard of a residential building? The mere fact of a helicopter landing in an urban area is not necessarily a violation. As explained by the Civil Aviation Agency, such a landing may be permitted if coordinated with the landowner. However, it is still unknown whether the pilot obtained the necessary permission. This is what will need to be established during the investigation. If it turns out that the helicopter landed in an unauthorized location, the pilot may face administrative penalties. The fine for individuals ranges from 150 to 800 euros. While the investigation continues, the residents of Imanta can only speculate as to why the pilot chose a plot of land almost under their windows for a brief stop.