Aerostar International Inc. S-55A accident near Mont-St-Grégoire, Ca, August 11, 2013
On August 11, 2013 at about 11:30 am local time, a Aerostar International Inc. S-55A (balloon), registered N25QL, was involved in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Mont-St-Grégoire. It was an air show or air race flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2013 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Mont-St-Grégoire, Canada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International Inc. S-55A
- Registration
- N25QL · registry record · serial S55A-1017
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 11, 2013, at 0730 eastern daylight time, an Aerostar International Inc. model S-55A, United States registration N25QL, serial number S55A1-1017, was not damaged when a member of the balloon ground-support team was fatally injured after falling to the ground from 100 feet near Mont-St-Grégoire, Québec, Canada. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The balloon was registered to and operated by the commercial pilot. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed near Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada, about 0650. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Government. Further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Place du Centre 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th Floor Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1K8 Phone: 1 (800) 387-3557 Fax: 1 (819) 997-2239 E-mail: airops@tsb.gc.ca Webpage: http://www.tsb.gc.ca This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: St-Jean at 10:50 am
- Destination: Mont-St-Grégoire
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.