It was meant to be a birthday treat: a short helicopter ride over the farmland of Quebec's Montérégie region on a Saturday afternoon. Shortly after take-off on 26 September, the helicopter came down in a field in Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, about 55 kilometres southeast of Montreal, and caught fire. All four people on board died at the scene.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has sent investigators, and Transport Canada is appointing a minister's observer. The type of helicopter has not been officially confirmed.

Down Near the Departure Point

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said the crash happened at around 2:30pm and that the helicopter was on fire when first responders arrived. On Saturday evening police said early information suggested the helicopter ran into difficulty shortly after take-off and came down not far from where it departed. They described it as a private aircraft. The SQ's major crimes unit took charge of the scene before handing over to the federal investigators.

The pilot was Suzanne Jutras, 50, an experienced local pilot who owned two helicopters and regularly gave tours, according to CTV News and CBC, citing people who knew her. A family festival she had flown for during the past three years posted a tribute calling her its favourite pilot. Family members told media the three passengers were relatives on a ride to celebrate a birthday.

Cosa succede dopo?

The TSB confirmed to CBC News that it had deployed a team to the site. Canadian investigators typically document the wreckage in place before moving it to a secure facility, then reconstruct the flight from the wreckage, witnesses, maintenance records and any tracking or onboard data. For a small private helicopter there is often no flight recorder, which makes that work slower.

Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon offered his condolences and said Transport Canada would appoint a minister's observer to follow the investigation and flag any regulatory or safety issues.

The Most Demanding Minutes

It is far too early to say why this helicopter came down, and Afterburner will not speculate. What is well established is that the moments just after take-off are among the most demanding for any helicopter pilot. At low height and low speed there is little room to enter an autorotation if the engine or a critical system fails, which is why helicopter operating manuals include a height-velocity diagram showing combinations to avoid.

The TSB usually publishes its findings months later. For the family, friends and the small aviation community of the Montérégie, the answers will come too late to matter. Our thoughts are with them.

Sources: Sûreté du Québec via CBC News and CP24/CTV News, Transportation Safety Board of Canada via CBC News, Radio-Canada, La Presse.