Made Dead Stick Landing On City Street In Texas

A Civil Air Patrol pilot escaped serious injury Tuesday night when she was forced to land on a city street.

Second Lieutenant Sarah Rovner, a member of the Thunderbird Composite Squadron in Houston, was flying the CAP-owned Cessna 172 from West Houston Airport to Lone Star Executive Airport when she reported losing aircraft power. When she realized she would not be able to glide the final six miles to the airport, she made a dead-stick landing on Davis Street in downtown Conroe with guidance from a controller, who also called emergency responders.

When those responders reached the scene, they reportedly found a damaged utility pole and few downed signposts, and a 1979 Skyhawk that's going to need extensive wing repair, but the 22-year-old pilot was not injured, nor was anyone on the ground.

Colonel Brooks Cima, Texas Wing commander, said, “Landing on a public roadway is certainly not optimal, but the pilot surveyed the situation and determined that the road was the best and safest choice for herself and the residents of the area given the local terrain and darkness of night.”

Joe Smart of the Conroe Police Department told CultureMap, "We've worked plane crashes before, but never right in the middle of town."

Rovner reportedly passed her checkride only three months ago, and has logged only about 100 hours. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Beeley, a regional commander for CAP, remarked, "Sarah's a great pilot and a wonderful example of the good training we require. Our pilots are held to standards twice as difficult as requirements for civilian pilots."

The NTSB will investigate.

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com