An affluent female pilot has been pronounced dead after a Quebec helicopter ride intended to celebrate a mother’s birthday ended in horror when four people were killed in a crash.
Suzanne Jutras, 50, was at the controls when the chopper plummeted into a field on Montreal’s South Shore on Saturday afternoon, instantly killing everyone aboard.
The passengers who were killed were Chantal Raymond, whose birthday the trip was meant to celebrate, her son Loucas Perreault, and her daughter Oceane’s fiancé, Gabriel Jasmin.
For Oceane Perreault, the loss is almost impossible to comprehend: in a single afternoon, she lost her mother, her brother, and her fiancé, who is the father of her young daughter.
‘On September 26, a part of my world flew away to heaven,’ Perreault shared in a heart-wrenching Facebook post.
‘I don’t have the words to describe the pain, the shock, and the emptiness I feel. Three people I love more than anything were taken from me far too soon, right before my eyes.’
Jutras had been flying helicopters for several years and even owned two aircraft. She operated helicopter tours and was well known in the aviation communities where she flew.
But in the moments before the crash, her partner, Yves Boulais, was watching her return to the farm they shared in Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville.
Experienced pilot Suzanne Jutras, 50, (pictured) died alongside Gabriel Jasmin, Chantal Raymond and Loucas Perreault when their helicopter came down in a field on Montreal’s South Shore on Saturday afternoon
For Oceane Perreault (right), the tragedy has been especially devastating. The three passengers were her boyfriend, her mother (pictured) and her brother
The family, including her brother Loucas Perreault (pictured), had been taking the helicopter ride as part of celebrations for Raymond’s birthday when the aircraft crashed and erupted in flames near Rang des Ecossais, off Highway 10, in Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville
Jutras had already completed one tour that day and was returning from her second when Boulais saw the helicopter approaching the area where she normally landed.
He told Le Journal de Quebec the aircraft was about 300 feet from the landing area when it appeared to stop before beginning to turn.
The helicopter then tilted towards the passenger side and crashed into the ground. The impact was followed by an aggressive surge of flames.
Boulais raced towards the wreckage in a desperate attempt to help, commandeering a tractor from a neighboring property.
But he could only get to within around ten feet of the burning helicopter and was unable to approach any further.
He said he knew there was nothing he could do.
The Surete du Quebec was called to the scene at around 2.30pm after the helicopter came down near Rang des Ecossais, off Highway 10.
All four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
Oceane Perreault with her partner Gabriel Jasmin, who was one of four victims. In a heartfelt tribute she hailed him as ‘The best dad in the world’. The two share a young daughter
Jutras had been a pilot for several years and owned two helicopters. Known for giving tours, she had developed a stellar reputation for her passion for flying
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is now investigating what caused the aircraft to crash.
Jutras had reportedly accumulated more than 500 hours of flying experience and had built a life around her love of aviation.
For three years, she had been the pilot for Les Felixeries, a family festival in Saint-Felix-de-Kingsey.
The festival hailed her as its ‘favorite pilot’ and paid gushing tributes to her after learning of her death.
‘It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of our favorite pilot of the past three years, Suzanne Jutras, in a terrible accident,’ the organization wrote.
‘We salute you… Thank you for taking us up into the skies with your kindness.’
Her husband, Yves Boulais, is a field-crop farmer and former dairy farmer in the region, according to the Haut-Richelieu UPA Union, which also issued condolences to the family.
The four deaths have left relatives, friends and colleagues mourning across Quebec as investigators work to establish what happened before the helicopter crashed
Jasmin was a host on Sherbrooke-based radio station 106.1 Energie and had a daughter with Oceane.
Bell Media, which owns the station, offered its condolences and said psychological support would be available to members of its Sherbrooke team.
Raymond’s husband, Martin Perreault, was left mourning his wife of almost 40 years.
He described her as his ‘better half’, his best friend and his constant companion. ‘We built a life, a family, and so many memories together,’ he wrote.
He said Raymond had been beside him through both the happiest and most difficult periods of their life together. ‘A huge part of my life is gone with her, but everything we experienced together will remain etched in my memory forever.’
He also described Loucas Perreault as his ‘pride and joy’, saying his son still had ‘so many plans, so much left to accomplish’.
And he remembered Jasmin as much more than a son-in-law, describing him as an integral part of the family, a man with a big heart, an incredible sense of humor and a zest for life.
Oceane Perreault said the tragedy was a reminder to cherish the people in your life.
‘Hold your loved ones a little tighter. Tell them you love them. Call the people you miss,’ she wrote in French. ‘Cherish the little moments, the fits of laughter, the ordinary days. And above all, stop worrying about the small stuff. Because, in the end, the people we love are what matter most.’
Investigators are now examining the wreckage to determine what happened during the helicopter’s final moments, the matter is now in the hands of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said: ‘The safety of civil aviation operations is Transport Canada’s top priority.’
‘The department will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground and remains ready to provide support and collaborate with all stakeholders involved in the unfolding events.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Oceane Perrault for comment.
