Cessna 172 Lands on Street in Conroe

Aviation Aviation News
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http://montgomerycountypolicereporter.com/?p=37794

Sarah Chantal Rovner, 22, of Houston made an emergency landing this evening in Conroe. Rovner who has had her pilots license about three months and had just over 100 hours of flying time was doing some night ops for the Civil Air Patrol. Besides volunteering her time with the Civil Air Patrol, Rovner works at Huntsman Chemical in the Woodlands. Leaving West Houston Airport she was going to land at Conroe. About six miles out she lost complete power in the aircraft. Hoping to glide into the airport she notified the tower of her situation. The tower in turn notified Conroe Fire Department and also several pilots with the Army Reserve unit at Conroe Airport. They were also doing night ops and were about to land. They immediately started a search grid.

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Rovner has had her pilots license about three months and had just over 100 hours of flying time

1st thought - new pilot with < 100 hours and a loss of engine = fuel starvation.

But, to quote the article…

A short distance later she was met head-on with a vehicle and was forced to divert to her right, shearing a wing and causing a minor fuel leak.

Conroe Fire Department Haz-mat crews pumped the fuel from the wing tanks

Then again, wouldn’t shearing a wing cause a MAJOR fuel leak on a C172? Gotta wonder just how much fuel they pumped from the tanks.

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Major leak for a 172. Minor leak for anything that holds more than 200 gallons.

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They pumped alot, it’s sitting in a 50gallon tank at galaxy fbo in Conroe.