History of Flight
On February 13, 2013, at approximately 1615 Pacific standard time, an Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66, registration N1959N, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a bird strike during cruise flight near Winters, California. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under 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, about 15 minutes earlier. No flight plan was filed, but friends indicated the destination was Nut Tree Airport, Vacaville, California.
Several witnesses reported hearing a loud "crack" or "snap" sound. Looking up, they observed something separate from the airplane, with two pieces fluttering or spiraling to the ground. One witness estimated the airplane was at least 2,000 feet above ground when the sound occurred. Another witness thought the airplane had struck something. All witnesses described the weather as very nice and very clear. There was no postimpact fire.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, single-seat aircraft manufactured by Avions Fairey in Charleroi, Belgium, in 1959. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was approximately 727 pounds. The engine was a Jabiru 2200 reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, normally aspirated unit with a maximum takeoff rating of 80 horsepower at sea level. The fuselage and rudder were constructed of welded steel tube; the wing and empennage were wood and fabric covered. The airplane was certificated in the U.S. as an experimental exhibition category aircraft.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage was located adjacent to Interstate Highway 505. The outboard 4 feet of the right wing was found by the California State Highway Patrol approximately 2,000 feet north of the main wreckage. A dead turkey vulture was discovered alongside the interstate about 50 feet north of the main wreckage. The wing section was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for analysis. Blood spots identified on the section were sent to the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Laboratory. An expert identified a downy barbule as a fragment of a turkey vulture feather. According to the expert, turkey vultures average 4.5 pounds in weight and have a wingspan of up to 6 feet.
Medical Examination
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, conducted toxicology tests, which were negative for ethanol and drugs. Tests for carbon monoxide and cyanide were not performed.