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

Continental O-300 series

6,623 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental O-300 series engine, rated at about 145 horsepower. The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is the model most often fitted with it (6,073 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1949 and 2021.

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 O-300 series. FAA spelling: 0-300 SER.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Cessna 172 Skyhawk	6,073
Cessna 170	372
Maule M-4	47
Cessna 175 Skylark	41
Globe GC-1 Swift	28
Aeronca 15	8
Temco GC-1	8
Cessna 150	7
Maule BEE DEE M-4	3
Piper PA-18 Super Cub	2
Piper PA-24 Comanche	2
American Champion Aircraft 7 Citabria and Champ	1

Cessna 172 Skyhawk · Cessna 170 · Maule M-4 · Cessna 175 Skylark · Globe GC-1 Swift · Aeronca 15 · Temco GC-1 · Cessna 150 · Maule BEE DEE M-4 · Piper PA-18 Super Cub

Where they are owner's state

Texas622California469Florida340Washington306Alaska267Michigan223Ohio219Georgia202Oregon194North Carolina191

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	622
California	469
Florida	340
Washington	306
Alaska	267
Michigan	223
Ohio	219
Georgia	202
Oregon	194
North Carolina	191

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles6,621 (100%)Piston twins1 (0.0%)Helicopters1 (0.0%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	6,621	100%
Piston twins	1	0.0%
Helicopters	1	0.0%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1940	62
1950	1,889
1960	3,524
1970	14
1980	3
1990	2
2000	3
2020	1

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental O-300 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-253, 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 38 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 5 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 7 airworthiness directives · newest first

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

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

2012-01-242011-26-07 · Engine · engine

2002-07-122002-13-04 · Magneto impulse coupling stop pin · engine

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

1993-08-1293-10-02 · Missing Cylinder Valve Retainer Key · engine

All orders naming the Continental O-300 series

Failure reports 38 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
96	1
01	3
02	4
03	10
04	3
05	2
06	2
07	5
08	2
09	1
11	1
12	1
13	1
19	2

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Baffle4Cylinder3Bulkhead2Connecting Rod2Stringer2Wheel2Adapter1Axle1Battery1Bearing Cage1

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Baffle	4
Cylinder	3
Bulkhead	2
Connecting Rod	2
Stringer	2
Wheel	2
Adapter	1
Axle	1
Battery	1
Bearing Cage	1

Latest reports

2019-11-19Line: broken

2019-05-10Cylinder: cracked

2013-02-22Counterweight: loose

2012-07-10Cylinder: cracked

2011-08-08Cylinder: broken

Certificates and bulletins

E-253Type certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 8 models listed · revised September 19, 2022

Safety bulletins 3 · 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

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 172 Skyhawk 6,073 with this engine series
Cessna 170 372 with this engine series
Maule M-4 47 with this engine series
Cessna 175 Skylark 41 with this engine series
Globe GC-1 Swift 28 with this engine series
Aeronca 15 8 with this engine series
Temco GC-1 8 with this engine series
Cessna 150 7 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 622 of these aircraft
California 469 of these aircraft
Florida 340 of these aircraft
Washington 306 of these aircraft
Alaska 267 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

United States Air Force Owner 10 of these aircraft
Bas Part Sales LLC 9 of these aircraft
Sutton Aircraft Salvage LLC 8 of these aircraft
Dmac Aircraft LLC 8 of these aircraft
United States Air Force 7 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental O-300 series 7 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental O-300 series 38 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-o-300-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 6,623

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N6230E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2024-08-13	Valid
N7407A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kremmling Flying INC Kremmling, Colorado	Standard	2024-08-12	Valid
N8111B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2024-08-12	Valid
N1100	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2024-08-10	Valid
N5484R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-08-10	Valid
N4066F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2024-08-09	Valid
N7440T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2024-08-09	Valid
N6268E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	2024-08-08	Valid
N7362P	Piper PA-24-250	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-08-08	Valid
N6470B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Multiple	2024-08-07	Valid
N8616B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2024-08-07	Valid
N4412B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Giraffe & Platypus Aviation LTD Fort Collins, Colorado	Standard	2024-08-06	Valid
N8241B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-08-06	Valid
N8556B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2024-08-06	Valid
N6252E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-08-04	Valid
N1184F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skydotcom LLC Inver Grove Hghts, Minnesota	Standard	2024-08-03	Valid
N2960U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	2024-08-03	Valid
N7642T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2024-08-02	Valid
N5807R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2024-08-01	Valid
N5125F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	2024-07-31	Valid
N120DH	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2024-07-30	Valid
N7580X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New York	Standard	2024-07-30	Valid
N7409T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-07-29	Valid
N36645	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2024-07-28	Valid
N8224L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Camp Lake Aircraft LLC Salem Lakes, Wisconsin	Standard	2024-07-28	Valid
N2637L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2024-07-27	Valid
N8778B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-07-27	Valid
N2760U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-07-26	Valid
N7103A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-07-25	Valid
N6097R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bravo Charlie One LLC Redkey, Indiana	Standard	2024-07-24	Valid
N3133A	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2024-07-23	Valid
N3576C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2024-07-23	Valid
N5592R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2024-07-23	Valid
N7182A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Edm Flying INC Nevada, Missouri	Standard	2024-07-23	Valid
N8439U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-07-23	Valid
N2396D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N2479Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N7444T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N7773T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N8048L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Four Dudes and A Plane LLC Whitehouse, Ohio	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N8395B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2024-07-20	Valid
N4069F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-07-19	Valid
N717RC	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-07-19	Valid
N7456X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-07-19	Valid
N7599X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dmac Aircraft LLC Savannah, Georgia	Standard	2024-07-19	Valid
N3474C	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-07-17	Valid
N9219X	Piper PA-34-220T	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2024-07-17	Valid
N3483C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2024-07-16	Valid
N5636T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2024-07-16	Valid
N7028T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2024-07-16	Valid
N8734U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Grow Aviation LLC Aurora, Nebraska	Standard	2024-07-16	Valid
N2762L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rock Communications Rock Hill, South Carolina	Standard	2024-07-15	Valid
N1134F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-07-14	Valid
N2674L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Valley Excavation and Grading INC Chatsworth, California	Standard	2024-07-13	Valid
N7892U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Airtime Aviation LLC Cabot, Arkansas	Standard	2024-07-13	Valid
N1637Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2024-07-12	Valid
N6011R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Elite Fleet Jacksonville LLC Jacksonville, Florida	Standard	2024-07-12	Valid
N7974B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-07-12	Valid
N3469C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-07-11	Valid
N6477E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-07-11	Valid
N7833U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lfs INC Gillette, Wyoming	Standard	2024-07-11	Valid
N1171F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-07-08	Valid
N4464B	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tailwind Aviation INC Wasilla, Alaska	Standard	2024-07-08	Valid
N9106B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2024-07-08	Valid
N2558U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Restricted	2024-07-06	Valid
N5914R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2024-07-06	Valid
N3787R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-07-05	Valid
N3291L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-07-04	Valid
N8235U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2024-07-04	Valid
N7710T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-07-01	Valid
N6737A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-06-29	Valid
N7352A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-06-29	Valid
N2386U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2024-06-28	Valid
N8343X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-06-28	Valid
N7841U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-06-27	Valid
N5507T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Blue Feathers CORP Newark, Delaware	Standard	2024-06-26	Valid
N5600A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Jessup Modeana M Wilbur, Washington	Standard	2024-06-26	Valid
N2894L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2024-06-25	Valid
N579K	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Red Plane Aviation LLC Key West, Florida	Standard	2024-06-25	Valid
N8818U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Vermont	Standard	2024-06-25	Valid
N2999U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Richmor Aviation INC Hudson, New York	Standard	2024-06-24	Valid
N3753R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2024-06-24	Valid
N4667L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rebel Road Customs LLC Yuma, Arizona	Standard	2024-06-24	Valid
N8170B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-06-24	Valid
N3720K	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-06-22	Valid
N6460B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-06-22	Valid
N8700B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-06-22	Valid
N1750F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-06-21	Valid
N8660U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Sage Point Ventures LLC New Harmony, Utah	Standard	2024-06-21	Valid
N5224F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2024-06-20	Valid
N9725T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Anderas Per R Green Bay, Wisconsin	Standard	2024-06-20	Valid
N5546T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2024-06-18	Valid
N5874A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-06-18	Valid
N6997A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Airpower Aviation Resources INC Newbury Park, California	Standard	2024-06-18	Valid
N2706U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-06-17	Valid
N4419B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2024-06-17	Valid
N5748R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-06-17	Valid
N6968X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-06-17	Valid
N8399B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-06-16	Valid
N1922S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2024-06-15	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.