The State - News from July 28, 1987

A home-built fiberglass plane lost power shortly after takeoff, smashed into a power pole and crashed on a dirt road in Paso Robles, witnesses said. The pilot, Howard J. Scharschmidt, 57, suffered back injuries and was reported in satisfactory condition at a hospital. The plane was made from a kit, said Roger Oxborrow, manager of the Paso Robles Municipal Airport, where it took off before crashing about half a mile away. There was no immediate word on what caused the accident.