Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66, Sharman Enterprises Inc., N1959N: Fatal accident occurred February 13, 2013 in Winters, California

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA123 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, February 13, 2013 in Winters, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/08/2014
Aircraft: AVIONS FAIREY TIPSY NIPPER T-66, registration: N1959N
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

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.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
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.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

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.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

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.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

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.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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.


 Solano County pilots are paying tribute Thursday to fellow aviator Jeffrey Sharman who died Wednesday afternoon when his single-engine, fixed-wing experimental plane crashed near Interstate Highway 505 near Winters.

The Solano Pilots Association website said Sharman, 68, of Vacaville, was a well-known and respected friend who was responsible for building many experimental aircraft, and he died doing what he loved, flying.

"Affectionately referred to as 'The Gnome' by his friends, Jeff was eager to help anyone with a repair, to give his view in national and world politics, or even to point you in the right direction if he didn't have the equipment to help," according to the website.

Vacaville dentist David Aronson said Sharman was flying an Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66 Wednesday.

A witness told the California Highway Patrol the wing came off and the plane spiraled to the ground shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

"He had a great sense of humor and was an outstanding fellow," Aronson said. "We'll miss him terribly."

Sharman, owner of Sharman Enterprises, was instrumental in restoring, building, dismantling and shipping certified aircraft, Aronson said.

A native of South Africa, Sharman leaves his wife Sheila and son Billy. Aronson said he hasn't discussed plans with Sheila for a memorial.

The Sacramento RVators also paid tribute to Sharman on its website. Its 96 members are interested in Van's RV series of aircraft and Harmon/F1 Rockets.

"The entire aviation community will miss him," the group said on its website.

http://www.solanopilots.com

http://sacrvators.com

http://davis.patch.com