SAINTE-BRIGIDE-DâIBERVILLE, Quebec â Four people were killed Saturday after a helicopter reportedly encountered difficulties shortly after takeoff and crashed in Quebecâs MontĂ©rĂ©gie region, about 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
Four dead in helicopter crash near Montreal https://t.co/XJv0ytlWra
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) September 26, 2026
The aircraft went down shortly after 2:30 p.m. on September 26 near Rang des Ăcossais, off Highway 10, in Sainte-Brigide-dâIberville. The helicopter caught fire after the crash, prompting a major emergency response and investigations by Quebec provincial police and Canadaâs transportation safety agency.
All four people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities had not been publicly released in the initial updates.
Helicopter reportedly ran into trouble after takeoff
Preliminary information from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) indicated the helicopter experienced difficulties shortly after taking off before it went down.
Police have not said what kind of problem the aircraft encountered, and investigators have not established whether a mechanical issue, weather, pilot actions or another factor contributed to the crash.
That distinction is important: reports that an aircraft was âin distressâ describe the circumstances immediately before a crash but do not, by themselves, explain its cause.
Emergency crews found aircraft on fire
Provincial police said they were called to the area at around 2:30 p.m. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found the crashed helicopter on fire.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control within roughly an hour. All four occupants were subsequently confirmed dead at the scene.
Authorities had not initially confirmed whether the fire began before impact or was caused by the crash itself. Determining that sequence may become part of the investigation.
Aircraft believed to have been privately operated
Police said preliminary information suggested the helicopter was a private aircraft, but several important details remained unknown in the hours after the crash.
Authorities had not publicly confirmed who owned the helicopter, its registration or model, where it took off from or where it was headed.
Those details could help investigators establish the aircraftâs recent operating history and reconstruct its final flight.
The crash comes amid several aviation investigations in Canada. In a separate case, federal investigators have also examined the circumstances surrounding the Prince George aircraft accident in British Columbia, although there is no indication the incidents are connected.
Victims not yet publicly identified
Police had not released the names, ages or hometowns of the four people killed in the Sainte-Brigide-dâIberville crash.
Authorities also had not confirmed the relationships between the occupants or the purpose of the flight.
Until police or family representatives release that information, names and personal details circulating on social media should be treated cautiously.
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Major Crimes Unit and TSB investigating
The SĂ»retĂ© du QuĂ©becâs Major Crimes Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has also deployed investigators to the crash site. The TSB is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating aviation, marine, rail and pipeline accidents with the goal of improving transportation safety.
A typical TSB aviation investigation can include examination of the wreckage and crash site, interviews with witnesses, review of relevant records and technical analysis of aircraft components. Investigators then work to determine the sequence of events and identify any safety issues.
Another recent helicopter investigation followed the fatal Yosemite firefighting helicopter crash, although the circumstances there were unrelated to Saturdayâs Quebec accident.
Several crucial questions remain unanswered
Investigators will now try to determine exactly what happened between takeoff and impact.
Among the central questions are what difficulties the helicopter experienced, whether any emergency communication was made, the aircraftâs flight path, its maintenance and operating history, and whether the fire began before or after the crash.
The confirmed facts remain limited: four people were aboard, all four died, the helicopter crashed near Rang des Ăcossais on Saturday afternoon and the aircraft reportedly encountered difficulties before going down.
No official cause has been announced. Any claim blaming a specific mechanical failure, weather condition or human factor would be premature until investigators release evidence supporting such a finding.
This is a developing story and may be updated as the Sûreté du Québec and Transportation Safety Board release additional verified information.
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