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
N172JN	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	2023-10-29	Valid
N3202L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2023-10-28	Valid
N5782T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Las Capital CORP St Johns, Florida	Standard	2023-10-28	Valid
N6911X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	North Georgia Aviation Management Group LLC Cumming, Georgia	Standard	2023-10-28	Valid
N8963B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2023-10-28	Valid
N5633R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Birds Eye View LLC Nampa, Idaho	Standard	2023-10-26	Valid
N7561T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-10-26	Valid
N8317U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	River International LLC Orlando, Florida	Standard	2023-10-26	Valid
N2457Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ghost Rider Aviation LLC Yuma, Arizona	Standard	2023-10-25	Valid
N503E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-10-24	Valid
N33KY	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-10-23	Valid
N1320Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Stc Aviation INC Saint Cloud, Minnesota	Standard	2023-10-22	Valid
N3795F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Restricted	2023-10-22	Valid
N4296L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	2023-10-21	Valid
N5676A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lakes Area Aviation LLC Little Falls, Minnesota	Standard	2023-10-21	Valid
N8475X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2023-10-20	Valid
N8813Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2023-10-20	Valid
N2468L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-10-19	Valid
N8157L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2023-10-19	Valid
N1127F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pricemeyer Aviation LLC St Pete Beach, Florida	Standard	2023-10-18	Valid
N3049U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-10-18	Valid
N5784A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2023-10-18	Valid
N2910D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2023-10-17	Valid
N12014	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-10-16	Valid
N1453Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-10-15	Valid
N4190L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-10-15	Valid
N5742A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dirt Devil Aviation LLC Bowdon Junction, Georgia	Standard	2023-10-15	Valid
N1433F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-10-14	Valid
N7272A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Open Air LTD CO DBA Pella, Iowa	Standard	2023-10-14	Valid
N7162T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-10-13	Valid
N7435X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2023-10-13	Valid
N7461X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2023-10-13	Valid
N3415D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2023-10-11	Valid
N441TS	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rawareo LLC Warsaw, Missouri	Standard	2023-10-11	Valid
N6465E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2023-10-11	Valid
N7081A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2023-10-11	Valid
N3980S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2023-10-10	Valid
N1738F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wesley Emerson Holdings LLC Clifton, Texas	Multiple	2023-10-09	Valid
N2728L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-10-08	Valid
N8250B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2023-10-08	Valid
N3064A	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Toribio LLC San Antonio, Texas	Standard	2023-10-07	Valid
N5571T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2023-10-06	Valid
N7631X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2023-10-06	Valid
N8328X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-10-06	Valid
N5706C	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2023-10-04	Valid
N5943A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-10-04	Valid
N9129B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-10-04	Valid
N5504R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aerocareers Nfp Columbia, Illinois	Standard	2023-10-02	Valid
N5047A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aeroslat4 LLC Lewes, Delaware	Standard	2023-09-30	Valid
N6180E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Utica Township Vol Firefighter Assn INC Jeffersonville, Indiana	Standard	2023-09-30	Valid
N4225L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	100Straight LLC San Angelo, Texas	Standard	2023-09-29	Valid
N6425E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2023-09-28	Valid
N4396B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-09-26	Valid
N7971B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2023-09-26	Valid
N8847Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	2023-09-26	Valid
N7075M	Cessna 175	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ps Aviation INC Granada, Minnesota	Restricted	2023-09-25	Valid
N8404X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Housel LLC DBA Palm Harbor, Florida	Standard	2023-09-25	Valid
N8845B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	B1Rd Flying LLC Hotchkiss, Colorado	Standard	2023-09-24	Valid
N6049A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2023-09-23	Valid
N7107T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	2023-09-23	Valid
N2048Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Iron Horse Aviation LLC Omak, Washington	Standard	2023-09-22	Valid
N8254L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-09-22	Valid
N5396T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2023-09-21	Valid
N7626T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2023-09-21	Valid
N1580Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	G2G Aviation LLC Wray, Colorado	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N2399B	Temco GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Summerland Spins LLC Summerland Key, Florida	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N2458Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ardmore Aviation LLC Novelty, Ohio	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N2623L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N3892L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N5675T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N84J	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	K Diamond K Guest Ranch LLC Republic, Washington	Standard	2023-09-20	Valid
N4242L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2023-09-19	Valid
N7095T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2023-09-19	Valid
N7764X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	2023-09-19	Valid
N2842L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bravo Aviation LLC Rexburg, Idaho	Standard	2023-09-18	Valid
N3514C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2023-09-18	Valid
N6924X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-09-18	Valid
N7072T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-09-18	Valid
N5779T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ardmore Aviation Llc9667 Novelty, Ohio	Standard	2023-09-17	Valid
N9859T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2023-09-16	Valid
N5814R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-09-15	Valid
N8686B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-09-15	Valid
N8839Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-09-15	Valid
N3900F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2023-09-14	Valid
N7080A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	2023-09-14	Valid
N850Y	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-09-14	Valid
N2458L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Mississippi	Standard	2023-09-13	Valid
N5232F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2023-09-13	Valid
N5557T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2023-09-13	Valid
N7150T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kittelman Real Estate INC Enumclaw, Washington	Standard	2023-09-13	Valid
N7227A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Tennessee	Standard	2023-09-13	Valid
N2564Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2023-09-12	Valid
N4161F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2023-09-12	Valid
N1408Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Shawver Aviation LLC Knoxville, Iowa	Standard	2023-09-11	Valid
N1782F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cfi Care INC Woodbury, Connecticut	Standard	2023-09-11	Valid
N3546S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-09-11	Valid
N1688F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skydive Spi LLC South Padre Island, Texas	Standard	2023-09-07	Valid
N1806Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Madcity Aviation LLC Madisonville, Kentucky	Standard	2023-09-07	Valid
N2548U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2023-09-07	Valid
N8270X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-09-06	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.