# Accident 20040528009829A: Amtr AVIDBANDIT, Paso Robles, CA, May 28, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 28, 2004, 13:30 local time
- Place: Paso Robles, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6728° N, 120.6269° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6728&lon=-120.6269&mi=10
- Aircraft: N55368, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55368-2005-03-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wilson Douglas W AVID BANDIT (registry code 05602C3, https://openairdocs.org/model/wilson-douglas-w-avid-bandit) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR AVIDBANDIT
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 640 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA228) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040528009829A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON MAY 28, 2004, AT 1330 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR-BUILT WILSON AVID AIRPLANE, N55368, IMPACTED GRAPEVINES DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA. THE SECOND LEG OF A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM PASO ROBLES AIRPORT (PRB) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS DESTINED FOR OCEANO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED. APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, FROM PRB THE ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING. THE PILOT SAID THE WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RISE RAPIDLY OVER THE RED LINE. HE ATTEMPTED TO COOL THE ENGINE BY LOWERING THE ANGLE OF ATTACK, ACTIVATING THE WATER BLOWER, AND TURNING INTO THE WIND, ALL TO NO AVAIL. THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER AND THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DETERMINED THEY WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A VINEYARD. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRPLANE, WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME SNAGGED BY THE GRAPEVINES, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

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.

- [NTSB LAX04LA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA228), May 28, 2004: Wilson Avid Bandit (N55368), Paso Robles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the loss of engine power during takeoff climb due to a cold seizure of the rear cylinder.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
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.