Cessna 150F accident near Rome, Georgia, February 22, 2003
On February 22, 2003 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8115F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rome, Georgia (Russell Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The maintenance personnel failure to secure the throttle linkage during the installation of the carburetor that resulted in the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2003 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, Georgia · Russell Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8115F · no longer on the register · serial 15064215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was practicing emergency procedures and had been instructed to configure the airplane for slow flight. The CFI instructed the student increase engine power, but the engine only developed about 1900 rpm. The CFI took control of the airplane and applied carburetor heat. The engine rpm decreased to 1000 rpm, and the carburetor heat was turned off. Unable to maintain altitude, the CFI selected the fairway on a nearby golf course and established an approach for a forced landing. According to the CFI, as he maneuvered for the approach, the airplane collided with a light pole and spun horizontally into trees during the forced landing attempt. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing assembly was separated from the airframe. The examination of the engine compartment revealed that the throttle cable was completely disconnected from the carburetor throttle arm. The throttle arm was found in the idle position. The connecting hardware was not located or recovered from the accident site. A review of the aircraft records revealed that the carburetor was installed about 9 hours before the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 490 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RMG Rome at 6:00 pm
- Destination: RMG
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.23 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from RMG, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.