Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 8, 2026

Continental C90 series

2,149 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental C90 series engine, rated at about 95 horsepower. The Cessna 140 is the model most often fitted with it (440 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1940 and 2020.

The FAA records engines by code, usually at the level of a series ("O-320 series") rather than the exact variant; this page gathers every FAA code that reads as Continental C90 series. FAA spelling: C90 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Cessna 140	440
Champion 7 Citabria and Champ	305
Piper PA-11 Cub Special	193
Piper J-3 Cub	170
Piper PA-18 Super Cub	167
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ)	162
Alon A-2	157
Luscombe 8 Silvaire	103
Forney F-1	57
Mooney M10	38
Champion AERONCA 7	35
Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8	33

Cessna 140 · Champion 7 Citabria and Champ · Piper PA-11 Cub Special · Piper J-3 Cub · Piper PA-18 Super Cub · Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) · Alon A-2 · Luscombe 8 Silvaire · Forney F-1 · Mooney M10

Where they are owner's state

Texas180California138Alaska128Florida117Minnesota102Wisconsin85Montana81Washington70Ohio70North Dakota60

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	180
California	138
Alaska	128
Florida	117
Minnesota	102
Wisconsin	85
Montana	81
Washington	70
Ohio	70
North Dakota	60

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles2,147 (100%)Piston twins1 (0.0%)Helicopters1 (0.0%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	2,147	100%
Piston twins	1	0.0%
Helicopters	1	0.0%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1930	6
1940	857
1950	587
1960	245
1970	39
1980	13
1990	7
2000	14
2010	5
2020	1

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental C90 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-252, held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC.). The FAA has issued 6 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 18 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 13 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 6 airworthiness directives · newest first

2012-02-242012-03-06 · Fuel servo diaphragm · engine

1998-10-1998-17-11 · Crankshafts · engine

1996-02-1394-05-05 R1 · Cylinder Rocker · engine

1993-12-1493-22-05 · Carburetor Air Intake Housing Assemblies · engine

1981-04-0181-07-06 · AC Fuel Pumps · engine

49-50-01 · Generator Drive Coupling Rubber Disc · engine

Failure reports 18 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
96	1
01	4
02	4
03	1
06	4
07	2
08	1
11	1

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Spar8Bolt1Fuel Sys1Gauge1Lead1Needle1Rib1Rotor1Spar Cap1Strut1

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Spar	8
Bolt	1
Fuel Sys	1
Gauge	1
Lead	1
Needle	1
Rib	1
Rotor	1
Spar Cap	1
Strut	1

Latest reports

2011-05-17Fuel Sys: unbalanced

2008-02-28Tape: loose

2007-07-26Spar: cracked

2006-09-29Rotor: inoperative

Certificates and bulletins

E-252Type certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 15 models listed · revised September 19, 2022

Safety bulletins 6 · advice, not orders

2018-09-10NE-18-27 · POWERPLANT Rocker Shaft Boss Inspection

2016-03-08NE-16-13 · Powerplant - Prohibited use of sealant

2012-10-31NE-13-04 · Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI) Connecting Rod Piston Pin Bushing Inspection

1998-06-10CE-98-21R1 ·

1997-12-31ACE-98-21 ·

Sources: the FAA's type certificate data sheets, airworthiness directives, supplemental type certificates, special conditions and special airworthiness information bulletins (Dynamic Regulatory System), and the FAA's service difficulty reports. A failure report is what an operator or repair station chose to file; the counts show reporting as much as reliability, and larger and commercial fleets report more. How the systems are grouped.

Connections how this engine series links to the rest of the register

Fitted to

Cessna 140 440 with this engine series
Champion 7 Citabria and Champ 305 with this engine series
Piper PA-11 Cub Special 193 with this engine series
Piper J-3 Cub 170 with this engine series
Piper PA-18 Super Cub 167 with this engine series
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 162 with this engine series
Alon A-2 157 with this engine series
Luscombe 8 Silvaire 103 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 180 of these aircraft
California 138 of these aircraft
Alaska 128 of these aircraft
Florida 117 of these aircraft
Minnesota 102 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Beech O Sphere LLC 4 of these aircraft
Riggin Flight Service INC 3 of these aircraft
International Air Services INC Trustee 3 of these aircraft
Wallace Aviation INC 2 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental C90 series 6 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental C90 series 18 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-c90-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 2,149

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N77596	Piper J-3	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Dakota	Multiple	1997-10-08	Valid
N2993Z	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1997-05-07	Valid
N2186N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aircraft Ground Support INC Upland, California	Standard	1997-04-18	Valid
N87905	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	1997-04-18	Valid
N3719V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Virginia	Standard	1997-04-11	Valid
N2070H	Ercoupe 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1997-02-14	Valid
N9258V	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1997-02-14	Valid
N65890	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1997-01-08	Valid
N1474B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1996-11-29	Valid
N77444	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1996-11-08	Valid
N4383C	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1996-10-04	Valid
N5352C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1996-08-30	Valid
N99198	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	1996-08-07	Valid
N3793V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1996-08-02	Valid
N7ER	Rockwell-Edward VARI-EZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Experimental	1996-07-31	Valid
N5692F	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1996-05-10	Valid
N5332C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1996-04-25	Valid
N1148D	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1996-03-04	Valid
N42274	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1996-03-02	Valid
N2242V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1996-02-24	Valid
N91523	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1995-12-21	Valid
N6543Q	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1995-12-11	Valid
N5312C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1995-12-07	Valid
N3048G	Aircoupe F-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	1995-09-29	Valid
N70116	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1995-09-01	Valid
N9469A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1995-08-31	Valid
N9454A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1995-06-19	Valid
N48DW	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1995-05-02	Valid
N4511M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1994-12-13	Valid
N85294	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1994-11-21	Valid
N6579Q	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-11-16	Valid
N2292V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1994-11-15	Valid
N87240	Ercoupe 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1994-11-03	Valid
N917CS	Piper L-18C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	1994-09-22	Valid
N3593H	Engineering & Research 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Yanks Air Museum Baldwin Park, California	Standard	1994-08-15	Valid
N83632	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Restricted	1994-07-13	Valid
N7291K	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Multiple	1994-06-07	Valid
N5453H	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	1994-06-03	Valid
N3022G	Forney F-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1994-04-22	Valid
N4610E	Champion 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1994-02-28	Valid
N5010H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Multiple	1994-02-17	Valid
N2166N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1994-01-28	Valid
N3738V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	1994-01-26	Valid
N1453B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-01-06	Valid
N42782	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1993-12-10	Valid
N5545H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1993-11-10	Valid
N7536E	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1993-11-09	Valid
N70294	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1993-10-25	Valid
N9466A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1993-09-09	Valid
N4382C	Champion AERONCA 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1993-09-04	Valid
N99649	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1993-07-26	Valid
N2075B	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1993-07-16	Valid
N4966H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Multiple	1993-02-23	Valid
N84475	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	1993-02-08	Valid
N88441	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1993-02-08	Valid
N78608	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1993-01-05	Valid
N2159V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Connecticut	Standard	1992-12-16	Valid
N9485A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1992-12-01	Valid
N823Z	Meyer LITTLE TOOT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Experimental	1992-11-09	Valid
N8942R	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-11-06	Valid
N82994	Aeronca 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1992-10-30	Valid
N6366V	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	1992-10-29	Valid
N7248K	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1992-09-22	Valid
N9816Y	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1992-09-08	Valid
N5486F	Alon A-2A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1992-07-14	Valid
N89687	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-06-03	Valid
N109SC	Piper L-18C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-05-02	Valid
N267SA	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Restricted	1992-01-15	Valid
N1878B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1991-12-26	Valid
N4967M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Restricted	1991-11-22	Valid
N1865B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	1991-11-12	Valid
N9093B	Aeronca 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Agri Flite Services INC Wakarusa, Indiana	Standard	1991-09-24	Valid
N70GA	Beech D18S	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum INC Dallas, Texas	Standard	1991-09-10	Valid
N2150V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1991-08-30	Valid
N4605E	Champion 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Air Dakota Flite Hettinger, North Dakota	Multiple	1991-05-07	Valid
N1871B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	1991-02-05	Valid
N6500Q	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1990-12-24	Valid
N1650P	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1990-06-20	Valid
N3732V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1990-06-15	Valid
N9494A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Restricted	1990-05-29	Valid
N1826B	Silvaire LUSCOMBE T-8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1990-05-17	Valid
N4985H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Multiple	1990-05-15	Valid
N2279V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1990-04-25	Valid
N246EZ	Alon A-2A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1990-04-24	Valid
N20HV	Volpi SPECIAL	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Experimental	1990-03-26	Valid
N4724C	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	1990-03-20	Valid
N4568E	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Restricted	1990-01-25	Valid
N9438A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1990-01-19	Valid
N3388Z	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1990-01-13	Valid
N30455	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1989-11-28	Valid
N3557V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1989-10-16	Valid
N1830E	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1989-09-14	Valid
N5413H	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Restricted	1989-09-13	Valid
N4715M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Multiple	1989-09-05	Valid
N9916Y	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1989-09-05	Valid
N2210B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1989-08-14	Valid
N13MW	Cantrell-Richards VARI-EZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Experimental	1989-07-28	Valid
N6585Q	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1989-07-28	Valid
N1136D	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	1989-07-22	Valid
N9878B	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rittberger Beef INC Hermosa, South Dakota	Standard	1989-06-14	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 8, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.