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
N3412D	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-02-22	Valid
N3733S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Brn Technical INC Boca Raton, Florida	Standard	2023-02-22	Valid
N1679F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N2944D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N3802K	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Service Air Corps Dallas, Texas	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N6711A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N7050A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N8082L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N8351U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-02-21	Valid
N6267E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	67 Echo LLC Las Vegas, Nevada	Standard	2023-02-20	Valid
N6421E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Osborn Jon C Groveland, Florida	Standard	2023-02-18	Valid
N7701U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2023-02-18	Valid
N1420F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2023-02-17	Valid
N3732L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2023-02-17	Valid
N4664L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-02-16	Valid
N7358A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2023-02-16	Valid
N7431T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-02-16	Valid
N2462U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-02-15	Valid
N3082U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2023-02-15	Valid
N3858S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-02-15	Valid
N1304Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N1497Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N6139E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Warner Aviation LLC Belding, Michigan	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N6790A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Laurel 406 Aero Billings, Montana	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N7489A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Allianna LLC Fayetteville, Arkansas	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N8442X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ready Aim Flyer LLC New Castle, Delaware	Standard	2023-02-14	Valid
N7792U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Oso Air LLC Missoula, Montana	Standard	2023-02-13	Valid
N8836U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-02-13	Valid
N1438F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-02-12	Valid
N2731D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-02-10	Valid
N4413B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2023-02-09	Valid
N5734R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Z&H Aviation Portage, Michigan	Standard	2023-02-09	Valid
N8863U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	2023-02-09	Valid
N5529T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cornell James R Winston Salem, North Carolina	Standard	2023-02-08	Valid
N12031	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2023-02-07	Valid
N4098V	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Qualitair LLC Trustee Michelstadt,	Standard	2023-02-06	Valid
N7810U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-02-06	Valid
N2496Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2023-02-04	Valid
N7518T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2023-02-04	Valid
N7441A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2023-02-03	Valid
N7783U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-02-03	Valid
N5084A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N7347A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Talkeetna Build A Plane INC Talkeetna, Alaska	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N8086X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N8169T	Cessna 175B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N8373X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N8703U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Nea Construction LLC Jonesboro, Arkansas	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N5383T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N7403T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N6478B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-31	Valid
N8172X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-31	Valid
N5459R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-30	Valid
N8212B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Seven Delta Whiskey Club Brush Prairie, Washington	Standard	2023-01-30	Valid
N8464X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-01-30	Valid
N3895S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2023-01-28	Valid
N1177F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-27	Valid
N3731S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2023-01-27	Valid
N3899R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-01-27	Valid
N8322U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-27	Valid
N2434L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N261SE	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N2912D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Satanta Flying Service INC Satanta, Kansas	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N5415T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Still Flying LLC Gibsland, Louisiana	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N7281T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2023-01-25	Valid
N7769T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Aviation LLC Bemidji, Minnesota	Standard	2023-01-24	Valid
N3068U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Arlins Aircraft Service INC Belgrade, Montana	Restricted	2023-01-23	Valid
N5601A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Osceola Aerosport LLC Osceola, Wisconsin	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N6075R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N8027L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N2089Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2023-01-22	Valid
N2635L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2023-01-22	Valid
N2503Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-01-21	Valid
N8255L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2023-01-21	Valid
N3885S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2023-01-20	Valid
N7807X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-01-20	Valid
N3888R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N6985X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N7245A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N7938U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N1803Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Official Stripes LLC New Braunfels, Texas	Standard	2023-01-18	Valid
N5790A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2023-01-18	Valid
N6016A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2023-01-18	Valid
N7040T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2023-01-18	Valid
N8169L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Apex Flight Training LLC Houma, Louisiana	Standard	2023-01-18	Valid
N3244L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kyzer Aviation Holdings LLC Fort Mill, South Carolina	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N3561S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N7912X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N8375B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N2684D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Tennessee	Standard	2023-01-16	Valid
N2796L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2023-01-16	Valid
N3797F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-01-16	Valid
N724TJ	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2023-01-16	Valid
N2467L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2023-01-15	Valid
N2628L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Dakota	Standard	2023-01-15	Valid
N1326F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N2586U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N3855V	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Keiths Aviation Training LLC Altus, Oklahoma	Experimental	2023-01-14	Valid
N5377T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N8272L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2023-01-13	Valid
N1657Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pegasus Aviation LLC Rogersville, Missouri	Standard	2023-01-12	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.