# NTSB WPR13FA123: Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66, N1959N, Winters, CA, February 14, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: February 13, 2013, 16:15 local (Feb 14, 2013, 00:15 UTC) - Place: Winters, CA - Coordinates: 38.496665, -121.949447 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4967&lon=-121.9494&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 8, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86217 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13FA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86217/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86217 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA123 ## Probable cause The airplane's impact with a turkey vulture in cruise flight, which resulted in the structural failure of the right wing and the subsequent loss of control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=0941012), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md) - [Wing structure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035700): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035700/cases.md?model=0941012), [All aircraft, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035700/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901); cases with it: [Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=0941012), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) (defining event); cases with it: [Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md?model=0941012), [All aircraft, 290 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was in cruise flight about 2,000 feet above the ground when several witnesses reported hearing a loud "crack," "pop," or "snap" sound and then looking up and seeing something separate from the airplane and then pieces falling to the ground. The outboard 4 feet of the right wing was found about 2,000 feet away from the main wreckage, and a turkey vulture carcass was found near the wing section. Postaccident examinations of the wing section revealed blood spots and a downy barbule, which was identified as a fragment of a turkey vulture feather. ## Factual narrative The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, single-seat airplane, which was manufactured by Avions Fairey in Charleroi, Belgium, in 1959. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was about 727 pounds. It was powered by a Jabiru 2200 reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, normally aspirated engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 80 horsepower at sea level. The airplane had a welded steel tube fuselage and rudder, with a wood and fabric covered wing and empennage. The airplane was certificated in the U.S. as an experimental airplane in the exhibition category. On February 13, 2013, about 1615 Pacific standard time, an Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66, N1959N, was destroyed when it impacted with terrain following a bird strike in cruise flight near Winters, California. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Yolo County Airport, Davis/Winters, California, approximately 15 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed, but friends of the pilot said that his destination was Nut Tree Airport, Vacaville, California. Several witnesses reported hearing a loud "crack" or "snap" sound. They looked up to see something separate from the airplane, and two pieces fluttering or spiraling/spinning to the ground. One witness thought the airplane was at least 2,000 feet above the ground when he heard the "pop" sound. Another witness thought the airplane had hit something. All the witnesses reported that the weather was very nice and very clear. There was no postimpact fire. The Solano County Coroner's Office performed an autopsy on the pilot on February 14, 2013. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. The tests were negative for ethanol and drugs. Tests for carbon monoxide and cyanide were not performed. The main wreckage was located next to Interstate Highway 505. The California State Highway Patrol located the outboard 4 feet of the right wing approximately 2,000 feet north of the main wreckage. Additionally, a dead turkey vulture was found alongside the interstate highway about 50 feet north of the main wreckage. The wing section was shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory located in Washington, D.C., for analysis. Blood spots were identified in the section, and those samples were sent to the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Laboratory. Their expert reported finding a downy barbule, which was identified to be a fragment of a turkey vulture feather. According to the expert, turkey vultures weigh an average of 4.5 pounds and have a wing span of up to 6 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1959N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1959N-2014-05-05), registration cancelled 2014-05-05, S/N 15, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIONS FAIREY TIPSY NIPPER T-66 - Registry model: [Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66](https://openairdocs.org/model/avions-fairey-tipsy-nipper-t-66) (registry code 0941012) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jabiru 2200](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-2200) (registry code 34800, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15 - Year built: 1959 - Airframe hours: 1200 - Engines: Jabiru 2200 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sharman Enterprises Inc - Registered owner: Sharman Enterprises Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 14, 2012 - Departed: DWA, Davis/Winters, CA - Destination: VCB, Vacaville, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 31, 2012; seat: center; toxicology performed; flight hours: 8,000 total, 20 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: VCB, 9 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130213001869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130213001869A), Feb 13, 2013: Avions Fairey TIPSY NIPPER T-66, Winters, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Airframe experienced inflight loss of approx. 4' of right hand wing, reasons unknown. ## Docket (17 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 23, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86217. 15.2 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 13-045 (with 3 embedded images) (item 1, .PDF, 490 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40393215&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2013-045%20(with%203%20embedded%20images)-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Gertz (item 2, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411429&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Gertz-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Jimenez (item 3, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411430&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Jimenez-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Kemp (item 4, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411431&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Kemp-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Ramos (item 5, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411432&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Ramos-Master.PDF - Wing Tip Disposal (item 6, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411433&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wing%20Tip%20Disposal-Master.PDF - Email to Dispose of Wooden Wing (item 7, .PDF, 89 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411434&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20to%20Dispose%20of%20Wooden%20Wing-Redacted.PDF - Email Regarding Bird Location (item 8, .PDF, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411435&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20Regarding%20Bird%20Location-Redacted.PDF - Smithsonian Bird Identification Letter (item 9, .PDF, 308 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411436&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Smithsonian%20Bird%20Identification%20Letter-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 10, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411437&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 11, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411438&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Main Wreckage (item 12, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411440&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Main%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Side View of Wreckage (item 13, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411441&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Side%20View%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Photo 3. View of Empennage (item 14, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411442&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20View%20of%20Empennage-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Separated Wing Tip (item 15, .PDF, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411443&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20Separated%20Wing%20Tip-Master.PDF - Photo 5. Inside View of Wing Tip (item 16, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411444&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20Inside%20View%20of%20Wing%20Tip-Master.PDF - Photo 6. Dead Turkey Vulture (item 17, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411445&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20Dead%20Turkey%20Vulture-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.