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
N1655C	Cessna 180	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1968-02-08	Valid
N80DC	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1964-09-27	Valid
N7926K	Beech S35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1964-05-22	Valid
N101JM	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard		Sale reported
N1062F	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard		Sale reported
N1074W	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard		Pending
N11VZ	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lowcountry Flight LLC Johns Island, South Carolina	Standard		Valid
N1231F	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard		Pending
N14754	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard		Pending
N147PH	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard		Canceled
N1622W	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	N83993 LLC Cherry Hill, New Jersey	Standard		Expired dealer
N1629W	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	No owner on file	Standard		Assigned, not yet registered
N1748W	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N18318	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard		Pending
N18363	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N18378	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lodi Airport Maintenance CORP Las Vegas, Nevada	Standard		Valid
N18394	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N1839R	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N183VB	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard		Pending
N18403	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N185CY	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N185LA	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard		Sale reported
N185SC	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Restricted		Pending
N1869F	Cessna 210F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard		Pending
N1874L	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Delaware	Standard		Pending
N1913L	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N2031R	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rons Air Service INC Two Buttes, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N2049A	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	South Delta Aviation INC West Helena, Arkansas	Standard		Valid
N2105S	Cessna 210L	Fixed-wing, single engine	Southport Aviation LLC Cape Coral, Florida	Standard		Valid
N210AP	Cessna 210E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Delaware	Standard		Pending
N210XX	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard		Pending
N212DA	Cessna U206F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard		Pending
N212RJ	Beech S35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard		Valid
N2171F	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard		Pending
N221AK	Cessna A188	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard		Pending
N222JW	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Carolina Aircraft INC Greensboro, North Carolina	Standard		Valid
N2252T	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard		Pending cancellation
N225V	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N2270L	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N2299R	Cessna T210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard		Valid
N2306F	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N233AK	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard		Sale reported
N233R	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Plane Jane Aviation LLC Sylvania, Georgia	Standard		Valid
N23541	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard		Pending
N238DS	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard		Pending
N241RD	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard		Pending
N25734	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Gardner Aviation LLC Hot Springs, Arkansas	Standard		Valid
N2794J	Cessna A185E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard		Pending
N28041	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Taylor Aviation INC Montgomery, New York	Standard		Valid
N28208	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	No owner on file	Standard		Pending cancellation
N2836D	Cessna 411	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner California	Standard		Sale reported
N29209	Cessna 210L	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N3060W	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard		Pending
N30RE	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	California Aviation LLC Fresno, California	Standard		Valid
N3106D	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	South Delta Aviation INC West Helena, Arkansas	Standard		Valid
N310BG	Cessna 310R	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Flairships LLC Durham, North Carolina	Standard		Valid
N310PH	Cessna 310R	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Freeman Jet LLC Cape Coral, Florida	Standard		Valid
N319JF	Cessna 210N	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard		Pending
N3312S	Cessna 210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N3340S	Cessna 210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Delaware	Standard		Pending
N350NW	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N35868	Cessna U206F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Multiple		Pending
N36900	Beech A36	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N3735B	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N3788Q	Beech V35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard		Canceled
N379SV	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard		Pending
N3822U	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard		Pending
N390LF	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Acadiana Fixed Wing Rotor Wing INC Carencro, Louisiana	Standard		Valid
N3914A	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Plane Jane Aviation LLC Sylvania, Georgia	Standard		Valid
N3957Y	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard		Pending
N3967Y	Cessna 210D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Special flight permit		Valid
N3969Q	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Restricted		Canceled
N39807	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard		Sale reported
N39907	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard		Sale reported
N4034B	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard		Pending
N406PA	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard		Canceled
N415RW	Beech D55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard		Sale reported
N4203A	Beech 58	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N430RP	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard		Sale reported
N432DM	Bellanca 17-30A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard		Sale reported
N4340W	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hanger Aviation INC Charleston, South Carolina	Standard		Valid
N4466S	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard		Pending
N4529S	Beech F33A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard		Pending
N456CW	Cessna 210N	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard		Sale reported
N45DH	Beech D55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Medic Choppers LLC Springdale, Arkansas	Standard		Valid
N45DS	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dcd Agriculture LLC Franktown, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N4622Q	Cessna 210L	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N477J	Beech 95-C55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Gulf Airbatics LTD Jennings, Louisiana	Standard		Valid
N491	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Acadiana Fixed Wing Rotor Wing INC Carencro, Louisiana	Standard		Valid
N4921R	Cessna A188B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Restricted		Valid
N4984M	Beech V35B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N5080J	Cessna 310R	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard		Sale reported
N5200Q	Cessna 210J	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		Valid
N520VA	Cessna A185F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard		Sale reported
N524Q	Beech D55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard		Valid
N5310K	Ryan NAVION B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard		Sale reported
N53277	Cessna A188B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Petecraft Aviation Services INC Plains, Georgia	Restricted		Valid
N550FS	Cessna 401	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard		Pending
N555TG	Beech E-55	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Dodson International Parts INC Rantoul, Kansas	Standard		Valid
N555TS	Beech S35	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard		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