The pilot and three Kuwaiti visitors aboard a tour helicopter landed safely Monday in an emergency landing in the outfield of Koko Head Neighborhood Park’s softball field.

A 11- to 12-year-old girls softball team had been scheduled to practice there at 4:30 p.m., the approximate time the landing occurred, but it was canceled due to the Kuhio Day holiday.

Nicole Vandelaar, owner of Novictor Helicopters, as well as a witness at the Hawaii Kai park next to Koko Head Elementary School, described the landing as controlled.

The pilot of the Robinson R44 “saw a cautionary light, possibly something wrong with the system,” so he landed the helicopter, Vandelaar said. She said that in order to maintain the highest level of safety, a pilot typically would land in an open area or field.

“This is how we keep our people safe,” she said. “You can’t just pull on the side of the road. Honestly, for us it’s just routine.”

The helicopter was returning to Honolulu from a circle-island sightseeing tour, flying clockwise as is done with Kona winds, she said.

The pilot told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “It was a precautionary landing,” and said he was “erring on the side of caution.”

The passengers — three young men visiting from Kuwait — said they were fine but declined further comment.

Stan Domen was out supervising boys practicing football at the park when he spotted the maroon helicopter.

“He was looking for a place to land,” said Domen, an amateur pilot and former Air National Guard navigator. “He started coming in low. I said, ‘Stay on the side. Looks like he’s coming down.’”

“He totally had control of the aircraft, circled lining himself up with the head wind,” Domen said.

A few interested passers-by stopped to see what was going on and to take videos.

Firefighters responded to 189 Lunalilo Home Road at about 4:30 p.m. and reported a helicopter made a safe landing, said Honolulu fire Capt. Scot Seguirant.

Vandelaar said she informed the Federal Aviation Administration and was told it would be OK to take off once the helicopter was cleared by mechanics.

She said the helicopter made it back to the airport with no problem Monday evening. She added that the company has five aircraft and a 100 percent safety record.

FAA records show the four-seat rotorcraft is owned by United Helicopter Leasing LLC, which Vandelaar also owns.