Incident Overview
On May 4, 2026, at approximately 16:45 local time, an Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3e (H125) registered as HB-ZEJ crashed near the northern border of the municipality of Mezzovico-Vira in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. The helicopter was operated by Tarmac Aviation SA and owned by Erexi SA.
Flight Details
The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) as an aerial work mission (SPO category). It had departed from Alpe Duragno and was destined for Mezzovico-Vira. The helicopter impacted the ground shortly before landing.
Injuries and Damage
Both the pilot and the five passengers sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was heavily damaged, but no damage to ground property was reported.
Investigation
The Swiss Safety Investigation Service (SISI) has opened an investigation. A preliminary report was released on May 5, 2026, summarizing the provisional sequence of events. The investigation is ongoing, and further details regarding the circumstances of the accident will be provided in subsequent reports.