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Atlas / NTSB / ATL83FIA04

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event ATL83FIA04

1983-08-16 FRONT ROYAL, Virginia, United States Airport · FRR None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N6171Q

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

GANNON PHILIP J CHALLENGER II

Engine

ROTAX 503ULDCDI (52 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20090601

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A80B49

Registrant of record

BLAKE JOHN C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT. DURING THE APPROACH TO FRONT ROYAL THE STUDENT WAS ADVISED BY UNICOM THAT A DEER WAS ON THE RWY. THE UNICOM OPERATOR SUGGESTED THAT HE BUZZ THE ARPT TO CHASE THE DEER AWAY. THE STUDENT HEARD ONLY THAT THAT A DEER WAS ON THE RWY. AS HE CONTINUED HIS APPROACH HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE DEER WAS OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT SPOTTED THE DEER JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. WHEN THE ACFT LANDED IT BOUNCED AND CAME DOWN HARD ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR FOLDED BACK AND SEVERED A FUEL LINE. SPARKS FROM THE PROPELLER HITTING THE RWY, IGNITED THE FUEL. THE PILOT EXITED THE ACFT AND DID NOT TURN OFF THE FUEL. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_ATL83FIA04.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.