En route from Wycombe Air Park, northwest of London, to Shoreham on the south coast of England, a Hughes 269C broke into two sections, with the cockpit appearing to separate from the combined engine and tailboom assembly, according to witnesses. The bodies of two of the occupants were found in the wreckage and a third was found about 50 yards away.
Investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Branch of the UK Department of Transport established that a weld repair to one of the clevis lugs of the center-frame rear-cluster fittings led to catastrophic separation of the tailboom assembly. The UK CAA has issued an AD requiring immediate visual inspections and replacement of all pre-modified fittings on Hughes 269A and Schweizer 300 helicopters. There is evidence that these modified clusters have developed cracks, and the last previous fatal accident (in 1995), was to a Hughes 269A with the modified fitting. As a result it is recommended that pilots visually check the right center-frame rear-cluster fitting for cracks or damage. If cracking is suspected, dye penetrant inspection must be done before further flight.