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

Continental IO-520 series

9,484 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental IO-520 series engine, rated at about 285 horsepower. The Beechcraft V35 Bonanza is the model most often fitted with it (1,496 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1963 and 2017.

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 IO-520 series. FAA spelling: IO 520 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Beechcraft V35 Bonanza	1,496
Beechcraft A36 Bonanza	1,145
Cessna A185 Skywagon	1,143
Beechcraft F33 Bonanza	872
Cessna 210 Centurion	767
Cessna U206 Stationair	641
Beechcraft 58 Baron	466
Bellanca 17 Viking	456
Beechcraft S35 Bonanza	439
Cessna 310	303
Cessna A188	230
Beechcraft E-55	193

Beechcraft V35 Bonanza · Beechcraft A36 Bonanza · Cessna A185 Skywagon · Beechcraft F33 Bonanza · Cessna 210 Centurion · Cessna U206 Stationair · Beechcraft 58 Baron · Bellanca 17 Viking · Beechcraft S35 Bonanza · Cessna 310

Where they are owner's state

Texas1,047California791Alaska673Florida567Delaware326Arizona312Montana276Washington274Colorado265Georgia251

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	1,047
California	791
Alaska	673
Florida	567
Delaware	326
Arizona	312
Montana	276
Washington	274
Colorado	265
Georgia	251

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles7,845 (83%)Piston twins1,371 (14%)Turboprops268 (3%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	7,845	83%
Piston twins	1,371	14%
Turboprops	268	3%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1940	12
1950	37
1960	2,627
1970	4,534
1980	1,114
1990	189
2000	5
2010	2

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental IO-520 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E5CE, held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC.). The FAA has issued 30 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 465 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 26 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 30 airworthiness directives · newest first

2023-10-262023-17-04 · Reciprocating Engine Oil System · engine

2023-03-152023-05-16 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · engine

2023-02-232023-04-08 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · engine

2023-02-172023-02-12 · Engine Air Intake System · engine

2022-08-152022-16-03 · Engine (RECIPROCATING) · engine

2022-03-292022-04-04 · Reciprocating Engine Oil System · engine

All orders naming the Continental IO-520 series

Failure reports 465 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
95	15
96	2
97	1
98	1
99	5
00	37
01	48
02	58
03	46
04	35
05	62
06	17
07	18
08	17
09	10
10	20
11	15
12	13
13	9
14	10
15	12
16	4
17	2
18	1
19	2
20	2
22	1
24	2

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Cylinder26Cylinder Head25Relay20Hub14Circuit Breaker13Antenna12Line12Bolt10Bracket9Control Cable9

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Cylinder	26
Cylinder Head	25
Relay	20
Hub	14
Circuit Breaker	13
Antenna	12
Line	12
Bolt	10
Bracket	9
Control Cable	9

Latest reports

2024-04-06Engine: power loss

2022-01-21None: none

2020-07-10Rod: broken

2020-01-15Turnbuckle: corroded

Certificates and bulletins

E5CEType certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 18 models listed · revised March 8, 2022

Safety bulletins 11 · advice, not orders

2020-04-06NE-20-05 · POWERPLANT - Engine Camshaft Gear Tooth Fracture

2018-06-20NE-18-16 · POWERPLANT Alternator Drive Coupling

2017-05-10NE-17-11 · POWERPLANT Engine damage as a result of kickback

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

2013-02-08NE-13-15 · Engine Controls: Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI) Throttle and Mixture Control Levers

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 V35 Bonanza 1,496 with this engine series
Beechcraft A36 Bonanza 1,145 with this engine series
Cessna A185 Skywagon 1,143 with this engine series
Beechcraft F33 Bonanza 872 with this engine series
Cessna 210 Centurion 767 with this engine series
Cessna U206 Stationair 641 with this engine series
Beechcraft 58 Baron 466 with this engine series
Bellanca 17 Viking 456 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 1,047 of these aircraft
California 791 of these aircraft
Alaska 673 of these aircraft
Florida 567 of these aircraft
Delaware 326 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Bas Part Sales LLC 27 of these aircraft
International Air Services INC Trustee 12 of these aircraft
Gta Air INC 12 of these aircraft
Southern Aircraft Consultancy INC Trustee 11 of these aircraft
United States Department Of Interior 10 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental IO-520 series 30 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental IO-520 series 465 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-io-520-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 9,484

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N785RW	Beech 36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2012-01-26	Valid
N1846W	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2012-01-23	Valid
N18331	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fred Garrison Oil CO Plainview, Texas	Standard	2012-01-21	Valid
N4738Q	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2012-01-20	Valid
N113X	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2012-01-19	Valid
N193TA	Cessna U206G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tuck Aerial Surveys INC Big Stone Gap, Virginia	Standard	2012-01-19	Valid
N7714R	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2012-01-19	Valid
N908V	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Seven M Enterprises LLC Kalispell, Montana	Standard	2012-01-19	Valid
N900TM	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Red Top Aviation INC Martinsville, Indiana	Standard	2012-01-17	Valid
N1273S	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Mississippi	Standard	2012-01-12	Valid
N565BP	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2012-01-12	Valid
N14RF	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2012-01-11	Valid
N3XD	Wheeler K/Wheeler C WHEELER FOUR	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Experimental	2012-01-11	Valid
N44VB	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2012-01-11	Valid
N115CW	Cessna 210L	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2012-01-10	Valid
N129PR	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2012-01-06	Valid
N4766M	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fx5 Construction & Excavation INC Decatur, Texas	Standard	2012-01-04	Valid
N7624N	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Uhuru II LLC Phoenix, Arizona	Standard	2012-01-03	Valid
N22AH	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2011-12-29	Valid
N3827Q	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2011-12-28	Valid
N57SB	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-12-27	Valid
N318A	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2011-12-15	Valid
N6081S	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2011-12-15	Valid
N5839S	Beech S35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2011-12-13	Valid
N59348	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Jeff Loenig Farms LLC Yuma, Colorado	Standard	2011-12-12	Valid
N5836J	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Meyerkorth Aviation LLC Rock Port, Missouri	Standard	2011-11-30	Valid
N680RS	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2011-11-29	Valid
N2062W	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2011-11-28	Valid
N603JH	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Airdent LLC Trinity, Florida	Standard	2011-11-22	Valid
N2508S	Cessna T210L	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-11-16	Valid
N17748	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2011-11-14	Valid
N22580	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-11-14	Valid
N2055U	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	R & D Aircraft LLC Port Orange, Florida	Standard	2011-11-09	Valid
N222MH	Cessna U206F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-11-07	Valid
N7562Q	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kaihai CORP Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2011-11-07	Valid
N2338F	Cessna 210E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2011-11-03	Valid
N135NC	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2011-11-01	Valid
N135TB	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2011-11-01	Valid
N6024Z	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Proag Services INC Mahnomen, Minnesota	Standard	2011-10-31	Valid
N7073N	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2011-10-31	Valid
N4309S	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gsi Temple, Texas	Standard	2011-10-28	Valid
N100XP	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-10-27	Valid
N7946M	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	2011-10-27	Valid
N2769T	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-10-25	Valid
N4453Q	Cessna A188B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Restricted	2011-10-25	Valid
N4803Q	Cessna A188B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Restricted	2011-10-25	Valid
N960AG	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	2011-10-25	Valid
N779RB	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rbi Trading LLC Morton Grove, Illinois	Standard	2011-10-24	Valid
N111JR	Aero Commander 200D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-10-21	Valid
N157R	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2011-10-21	Valid
N63WS	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cooks Saw Manufacturing LLC Newton, Alabama	Standard	2011-10-21	Valid
N1322F	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2011-10-20	Valid
N61473	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	U S Department of Interior Boise, Idaho	Standard	2011-10-19	Valid
N9014V	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kestrel INC West Des Moines, Iowa	Standard	2011-10-19	Valid
N8386Q	Cessna U206F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Le Tourneau University Longview, Texas	Standard	2011-10-18	Valid
N185AZ	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2011-10-17	Valid
N89G	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2011-10-13	Valid
N756YD	Cessna U206G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Garza Aircraft INC Harlingen, Texas	Restricted	2011-10-12	Valid
N8796V	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2011-10-12	Valid
N4600S	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cozzolino Aerosports II LLC Indianapolis, Indiana	Standard	2011-10-11	Valid
N206GP	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Adaptive Aero INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2011-10-05	Valid
N112X	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Air Corriente LLC Columbia, Tennessee	Standard	2011-10-04	Valid
N4410T	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-10-03	Valid
N796CD	Cessna 310R	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Southernskies Aircraft N796Cd LLC Cape Coral, Florida	Standard	2011-09-29	Valid
N185KF	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-09-28	Valid
N6822E	Cessna 414A	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Air Force One LLC Coral Springs, Florida	Standard	2011-09-28	Valid
N888KW	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-09-28	Valid
N9782E	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2011-09-27	Valid
N4477R	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	2011-09-20	Valid
N2996T	Aero Commander 200D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-09-16	Valid
N3802P	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cassill Aircraft Leasing INC Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Standard	2011-09-16	Valid
N5120X	Cessna U206G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2011-09-13	Valid
N2205L	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Aerocare LLC Oak Ridge, Tennessee	Standard	2011-09-12	Valid
N3089H	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Williamsburg Air Service INC Kingstree, South Carolina	Standard	2011-09-10	Valid
N3804A	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Big Love LLC Tifton, Georgia	Standard	2011-09-10	Valid
N6651V	Bellanca 17-30	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	2011-09-10	Valid
N699WW	Cessna 210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-09-10	Valid
N70141	Cessna A188B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Priewe Flying Service LLC Como, Mississippi	Restricted	2011-09-07	Valid
N8484N	Beech 36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2011-09-07	Valid
N4185M	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Room Nine LLC Casper, Wyoming	Standard	2011-09-06	Valid
N1393F	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Restricted	2011-09-02	Valid
N2022W	Beech S35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2011-09-01	Valid
N112PC	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-08-31	Valid
N3749Y	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Westwind Homes INC Twin Falls, Idaho	Standard	2011-08-30	Valid
N70199	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Multiple	2011-08-29	Valid
N1996U	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Smith Aviation LLC Sitka, Alaska	Standard	2011-08-26	Valid
N61742	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2011-08-25	Valid
N208WS	Navion NAVION H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-08-22	Valid
N12KS	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2011-08-19	Valid
N2022N	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2011-08-18	Valid
N6193F	Cessna 210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2011-08-18	Valid
N756VC	Cessna U206G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-08-16	Valid
N1768E	Cessna 310R	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Royal Air Freight INC Waterford, Michigan	Standard	2011-08-15	Valid
N7048N	Beech V35A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bonanza Enterprises LLC Mill Valley, California	Standard	2011-08-15	Valid
N70221	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-08-10	Valid
N2017W	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2011-08-09	Valid
N80RC	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	2011-08-08	Valid
N2078W	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-08-05	Valid
N2JJ	Cessna 401	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Aerial Surveys International LLC Watkins, Colorado	Standard	2011-08-05	Valid
N3621R	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-08-03	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.

	reports
95	15
96	2
97	1
98	1
99	5
00	37
01	48
02	58
03	46
04	35
05	62
06	17
07	18
08	17
09	10
10	20
11	15
12	13
13	9
14	10
15	12
16	4
17	2
18	1
19	2
20	2
22	1
24	2

	reports
95	15
96	2
97	1
98	1
99	5
00	37
01	48
02	58
03	46
04	35
05	62
06	17
07	18
08	17
09	10
10	20
11	15
12	13
13	9
14	10
15	12
16	4
17	2
18	1
19	2
20	2
22	1
24	2

	reports
95	15
96	2
97	1
98	1
99	5
00	37
01	48
02	58
03	46
04	35
05	62
06	17
07	18
08	17
09	10
10	20
11	15
12	13
13	9
14	10
15	12
16	4
17	2
18	1
19	2
20	2
22	1
24	2