Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 5, 2026

Continental E185 series

1,109 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental E185 series engine, rated at about 205 horsepower. The Beechcraft 35 Bonanza and Debonair is the model most often fitted with it (233 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1946 and 1972.

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 E185 series. FAA spelling: E185 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Beechcraft 35 Bonanza and Debonair233Beechcraft C35136Beechcraft A35124North American NAVION123Ryan NAVION111Beechcraft B3599Beechcraft D3578Ryan NAVION A59Navion NAVION A57North American NAVION A28Luscombe 1117Cessna 1508

Beechcraft 35 Bonanza and Debonair · Beechcraft C35 · Beechcraft A35 · North American NAVION · Ryan NAVION · Beechcraft B35 · Beechcraft D35 · Ryan NAVION A · Navion NAVION A · North American NAVION A

Where they are owner's state

Texas141California109Florida65Washington56Ohio46Tennessee37Missouri35Arizona35Colorado32Oklahoma31

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles1,109 (100%)

When the aircraft were built by decade

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental E185 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-246, held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC.). The FAA has issued 7 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 9 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 1 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 7 airworthiness directives · newest first

1997-10-2797-21-02 · Cylinders · engine

1969-12-3163-15-01 · Exhaust Valves · engine

51-26-03 · Valve Lifters · engine

56-06-01 · Piston Pin Assembly · engine

60-06-04 · Generator Drive Gear · engine

60-12-01 · Piston Pins · engine

All orders naming the Continental E185 series

Failure reports 9 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Fitting2Crankcase1Gasket1Landing Gear1Light1Link1Seat1Support1

Latest reports

2020-12-22Crankcase: cracked

2010-06-15Support: cracked

2007-05-16Seat: cracked

2006-07-27Landing Gear: collapsed

2006-03-15Fitting: cracked

Certificates and bulletins

E-246Type certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 11 models listed · revised September 19, 2022

Safety bulletins 2 · advice, not orders

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

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

Beechcraft 35 Bonanza and Debonair 233 with this engine series
Beechcraft C35 136 with this engine series
Beechcraft A35 124 with this engine series
North American NAVION 123 with this engine series
Ryan NAVION 111 with this engine series
Beechcraft B35 99 with this engine series
Beechcraft D35 78 with this engine series
Ryan NAVION A 59 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 141 of these aircraft
California 109 of these aircraft
Florida 65 of these aircraft
Washington 56 of these aircraft
Ohio 46 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Bas Part Sales LLC 5 of these aircraft
Sky West Aviation INC Trustee 4 of these aircraft
Northwest Navion INC 3 of these aircraft
Jed Homes INC 3 of these aircraft
American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum 3 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental E185 series 7 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental E185 series 9 reports since 1995

Analytics

These connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-e185-series.json · about the eFlight graph.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 1,109

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N91707	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2004-07-26	Valid
N2182D	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2004-05-13	Valid
N4952K	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Jed Homes INC Lisbon, Connecticut	Standard	2004-04-02	Valid
N542GH	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2004-03-25	Valid
N4447K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2004-03-01	Valid
N3374G	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2004-01-28	Valid
N2762V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	J R Bane Land CORP Oakland, Iowa	Standard	2004-01-27	Valid
N5848C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2003-12-18	Valid
N8571A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2003-09-10	Valid
N91405	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2003-08-05	Valid
N752D	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2003-01-13	Valid
N2897D	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2002-11-25	Valid
N5055C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2002-11-04	Valid
N5126C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner	Standard	2002-10-22	Valid
N91720	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-10-07	Valid
N4131K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2002-09-25	Valid
N2987B	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2002-06-14	Valid
N5186C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2002-04-19	Valid
N4286K	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2002-04-01	Valid
N117DP	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2002-03-28	Valid
N728HM	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2001-11-13	Valid
N4493K	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2001-10-29	Valid
N2778A	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2001-10-16	Valid
N3818N	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Florida State College At Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida	Standard	2001-09-26	Valid
N89JR	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2001-08-30	Valid
N8430A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2001-07-19	Valid
N8482A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2001-05-23	Valid
N545A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2001-02-26	Valid
N721CM	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	2000-10-26	Valid
N1995D	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	2000-09-18	Valid
N5594A	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2000-08-30	Valid
N3096V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2000-08-25	Valid
N11FZ	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2000-08-01	Valid
N91481	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2000-08-01	Valid
N11FC	Beech 35R	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2000-07-22	Valid
N8525A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2000-07-20	Valid
N5198C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	R & S Enterprises Fort Wayne, Indiana	Standard	2000-06-28	Valid
N1632B	Luscombe 11A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2000-05-16	Valid
N3021V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2000-05-11	Valid
N4315K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2000-04-26	Valid
N3304V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2000-01-29	Valid
N5834C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2000-01-15	Valid
N77BH	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1999-11-15	Valid
N7727C	Navion L-17A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1999-11-02	Valid
N4312K	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	1999-08-17	Valid
N526B	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1999-07-12	Valid
N8660H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Northwest Navion INC Arlington, Washington	Standard	1999-05-11	Valid
N191	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1999-05-10	Valid
N2766V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ready Aim Flyer LLC New Castle, Delaware	Standard	1999-04-29	Valid
N91168	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1999-04-21	Valid
N4836K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1999-04-16	Valid
N4442K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1999-02-02	Valid
N598B	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1998-11-25	Valid
N8656H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1998-09-17	Valid
N91420	North American NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1998-07-21	Valid
N2196D	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	1998-06-24	Valid
N5890C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1998-06-12	Valid
N8567H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1998-05-05	Valid
N4446V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1998-04-24	Valid
N5199C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1998-04-04	Valid
N8794A	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1998-04-01	Valid
N8964A	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1998-02-19	Valid
N4501K	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1998-01-22	Valid
N4434V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1997-08-26	Valid
N4552K	Ryan NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1997-08-25	Valid
N3742N	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1997-08-18	Valid
N8639H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	1997-06-03	Valid
N8963A	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	1997-05-20	Valid
N5136K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1997-04-12	Valid
N5838C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1996-10-01	Valid
N8461A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Love Larry e Greenbrier, Arkansas	Standard	1996-09-11	Valid
N9A	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1996-07-30	Valid
N5839C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1996-06-12	Valid
N5933C	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1996-05-16	Valid
N2194D	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Air Repair INC Easton, Maryland	Standard	1996-05-15	Valid
N4546V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	1996-05-08	Valid
N3083V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1996-03-04	Valid
N5CW	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1995-11-21	Valid
N80435	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1995-11-03	Valid
N3825N	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1995-06-30	Valid
N3436B	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1995-06-06	Valid
N4029K	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1995-05-02	Valid
N1DN	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1995-04-13	Valid
N461B	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1995-04-13	Valid
N2983V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-03-27	Valid
N3041V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1995-02-04	Valid
N2736V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	1995-01-20	Valid
N494B	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	1994-06-29	Valid
N2971B	Beech D35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-03-25	Valid
N4494K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	1994-02-08	Valid
N8585A	Beech A35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1994-01-18	Valid
N8813H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1993-09-20	Valid
N4887K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1993-08-31	Valid
N8514H	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1993-06-15	Valid
N3145V	Beech 35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1993-06-10	Valid
N5158C	Beech B35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1993-06-08	Valid
N4990K	Ryan NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1992-11-16	Valid
N269CC	North American NAVION	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1992-11-04	Valid
N361	Beech C35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1992-10-22	Valid
N4885K	Navion NAVION A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	1992-10-20	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 5, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.