"It was very loud, I thought, 'gosh what the hell was happening?'"
Fire crews from Rotorua Airport and the Rotorua Fire Brigade attended the scene.
Rotorua Airport chief executive Nicole Brewer said she could confirm there had been a helicopter crash in an area outside the Rotorua Airport.
She said a fire crew from the airport provided assistance at the scene.
"No air services at Rotorua Airport have been impacted by the crash."
A Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said its Safety Investigation Unit was gathering information about the incident.
Once all available information was reviewed a decision would be made to determine if a physical investigation and examination of the wreckage would be needed, he said.
He said that decision was likely to be made in the next 48 hours.
Rotorua Fire Brigade senior station officer Colin Rolfe confirmed the pilot had safely escaped the chopper.