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
N70656	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1989-05-24	Valid
N3502V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1989-04-28	Valid
N1783A	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1989-03-02	Valid
N4316C	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1989-02-18	Valid
N3730V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1989-02-17	Valid
N3521V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1989-02-01	Valid
N14JF	Ferko CASSUTT SPORT III M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1988-09-09	Valid
N85281	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	1988-08-18	Valid
N4700M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1988-06-22	Valid
N5452F	Alon A-2A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1988-06-15	Valid
N3531V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	1988-04-12	Valid
N77011	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1988-04-12	Valid
N837B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1988-04-05	Valid
N1205E	Champion 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1988-03-09	Valid
N8952R	Champion 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1988-03-09	Valid
N32572	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1987-11-20	Valid
N98425	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1987-11-03	Valid
N72E	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1987-05-28	Valid
N9509V	Mooney M10	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1986-08-26	Valid
N4652E	Aeronca 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1986-08-15	Valid
N91JJ	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1986-08-07	Valid
N4782M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1986-06-16	Valid
N41295	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1986-05-20	Valid
N78731	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	1986-05-16	Valid
N5689F	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1986-02-18	Valid
N5425H	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Multiple	1986-02-05	Valid
N5083H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1985-12-13	Valid
N2151V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1985-08-26	Valid
N85378	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1985-05-24	Valid
N40C	Wright Cecil/Duane ACEY DUECY P-70	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Experimental	1985-05-03	Valid
N9081B	Aeronca 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1985-04-01	Valid
N2220V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1985-03-04	Valid
N4848E	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1985-03-04	Valid
N3794V	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1985-01-02	Valid
N4114N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1984-08-28	Valid
N5617F	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1984-08-28	Valid
N83249	Champion 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1984-05-22	Valid
N7520C	Forney F-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1984-05-07	Valid
N5396C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Smith Richard e Olympia, Washington	Standard	1984-02-17	Valid
N82485	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Multiple	1983-11-29	Valid
N3589Z	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Restricted	1983-11-08	Valid
N2770L	Anderson Curtis M CUBY II	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Experimental	1982-08-27	Valid
N4269N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1982-08-24	Valid
N7430B	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1982-07-15	Valid
N3775V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	1982-06-18	Valid
N85091	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1982-06-02	Valid
N6517H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Knapp Frank e Palmer, Alaska	Standard	1982-05-10	Valid
N65891	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1982-04-05	Valid
N82265	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	1982-03-19	Valid
N1153D	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Maryland	Standard	1981-12-31	Valid
N42447	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1981-05-22	Valid
N2113N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	1981-04-20	Valid
N6512Q	Alon A2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1981-04-07	Valid
N5669C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1981-02-23	Valid
N123RW	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1981-02-10	Valid
N8CZ	Aircoupe F-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1980-12-04	Valid
N3655V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1980-07-24	Valid
N1792V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1980-06-12	Valid
N2104M	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1980-05-06	Valid
N2224V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1980-04-08	Valid
N9669A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1980-01-21	Valid
N3419P	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1979-10-22	Valid
N4721E	Aeronca 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1979-09-06	Valid
N1808V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1979-08-07	Valid
N6317H	Piper J3C-90	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	1978-12-05	Valid
N4130X	Wittman W-8 TAILWIND	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1978-08-30	Valid
N5567H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Multiple	1978-08-14	Valid
N9624A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1978-07-26	Valid
N76326	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1978-06-29	Valid
N5489F	Alon A-2A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1978-05-18	Valid
N82015	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1978-05-15	Valid
N140JZ	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1978-04-04	Valid
N6024H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wright Cecil A Sanford, Florida	Standard	1978-01-06	Valid
N1508U	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1977-12-02	Valid
N9052B	Champion 7FC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1977-09-15	Valid
N4577A	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1977-06-13	Valid
N9415A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1977-04-28	Valid
N3752V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1977-01-21	Valid
N9600A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1977-01-05	Valid
N2300V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	1976-12-10	Valid
N3751V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	1976-10-29	Valid
N2344V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1976-08-24	Valid
N92226	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Restricted	1976-05-12	Valid
N2007B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1976-02-17	Valid
N9405A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1975-11-06	Valid
N3040G	Aircoupe F-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1975-10-14	Valid
N88579	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1975-08-14	Valid
N3657V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1975-06-28	Valid
N6738H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Restricted	1975-06-25	Valid
N5603C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1975-06-23	Valid
N6714C	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1975-05-28	Valid
N7593B	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1975-05-13	Valid
N2391V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1975-03-01	Valid
N2163B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1975-01-15	Valid
N4313C	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Multiple	1975-01-13	Valid
N9934C	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1974-11-20	Valid
N91E	Rice Special 15-9	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Experimental	1974-09-17	Valid
N2000B	Luscombe 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1974-08-02	Valid
N5398C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Red Rose Flying Club Spring City, Tennessee	Standard	1974-08-02	Valid
N800B	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1974-06-14	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.