What happened
On 5 January 2026, a Leonardo AW139 VH-TJF was involved in a serious incident in the Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. The ASN record states that the main rotors struck a tree while the helicopter was hovering during a medical transport task. The helicopter sustained minor damage and was repaired. The source records no fatalities and four occupants.
The ASN narrative describes the helicopter’s main rotors striking a tree while a winching operation was being prepared. It records the occurrence category as Serious incident.
The ASN detail page describes the damage as minor and repaired and identifies the ATSB as the investigating agency. It records the investigation as completed with final report AO-2026-002.
Sources:
ATSB
ASN occurrence detail
ASN 2026 VH feed