How far would you travel to get a tasty ice cream cake.

This Saskatchewan man landed his helicopter in the middle of a busy parking lot so a passenger could hustle inside a Dairy Queen store for their favourite ice cream cake, according to the RCMP, who were called by irate residents since the chopper had people gawking, vehicles stopped and generally causing a kerfuffle.

The Mounties said they received a number of complaints from unhappy residents of Tisdale, that a helicopter had landed in a high-traffic parking lot on August 4.

“When it landed, the helicopter blew up dust and debris through the area, which includes schools, an aquatic centre and more,” the RCMP said in a statement.

Many residents thought there was a medical or other emergency event that was taking place.

They were wrong.

“Investigation determined the landing was not an emergency,” the Mounties explained. “A passenger of the helicopter exited the aircraft and entered a nearby restaurant to buy an ice cream cake.”

Police said the pilot, a 34-year-old local man, was licensed to drive the helicopter, but that it was illegal to land it where he did.

The pilot was charged with one count of dangerous operation of an aircraft under the Criminal Code. He will appear in court by car on September 7.