Balloon Pilot Killed

Aug. 11/ 13-The Aerostar S55A hot air balloon, registration N25QL, had landed without incident after a 35 min flight from an area close to the CYJN Saint-Jean airport to a field 6 nm east of CYJN. Two passengers disembarked. The pilot and another person remained on board. Ground crew were present to assist the balloon on landing. A fellow pilot who had landed in an adjacent field just prior to the Aerostar balloon, approached the balloon pilot and crew to assist them in repositionning the balloon in the adjacent grassy field. The manoeuvre to reposition the balloon consisted of ascending over a sparse line of trees and land in the grassy field on the other side. The trees were approximately 30 feet tall. The ground crew let go of the balloon basket as it ascended to climb over the trees, however the other pilot, assisting as ground crew, held on to the drop line while the balloon continued to climb. It is estimated that he fell from a height of approximately 100 feet; he was fatally injured. The two occupants in the balloon were not injured.