On December 5, 1992, a Piper PA-32-300 (registration N4152W) operated by James A. Oeffinger was involved in an aviation accident near Shell Knob, MO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of consciousness due to being thrown forward during a hard landing, attributed to the absence of shoulder harnesses. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a dusk landing, an airplane touched down hard halfway down the runway and veered right. The pilot, thrown forward due to lack of shoulder harnesses, lost consciousness, and the airplane collided with trees and a ravine.
Accident Details
The airplane touched down hard approximately halfway down the runway and off to the right side. After the hard landing, the airplane continued off the right side of the runway, colliding with trees and a ravine.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that due to the lack of shoulder harnesses, he was thrown forward during the landing and became unconscious. He also stated that he had landed at this airstrip before during daylight hours, but not at dusk.
Aftermath
The pilot's loss of consciousness left the airplane uncontrolled as it exited the runway. The collision with trees and a ravine brought the airplane to a stop. The pilot did not report any other factors.
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of consciousness due to being thrown forward during a hard landing, attributed to the absence of shoulder harnesses.