A helicopter rolled and caught fire after it landed heavily in far Northland tonight, police say.

The pilot walked away from the "heavy landing" on Otangaroa Rd in Kaeo, northeast of Kerikeri, about 6pm, Inspector Cornell Kluessien of Northern police communications said.

The fire service attended the crash and the fire had been put out.

The pilot was the only person on board.

Mr Kluessien did not know how much damaged the helicopter sustained was or what had caused the crash.

- NZPA