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
N1326Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2022-11-02	Valid
N5355R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Feauto Aviation LLC Saint Cloud, Florida	Standard	2022-11-02	Valid
N6081A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2022-11-02	Valid
N1647Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2022-11-01	Valid
N2650L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2022-11-01	Valid
N4384B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mead Aviation LLC Missoula, Montana	Standard	2022-11-01	Valid
N2480U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2022-10-31	Valid
N5960A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Southern Aviation Solutions LLC Sumter, South Carolina	Standard	2022-10-31	Valid
N7239A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2022-10-31	Valid
N5465R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Haffley and Ruiz LLC Waco, Texas	Standard	2022-10-28	Valid
N5519T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2022-10-27	Valid
N6453B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2022-10-27	Valid
N7682T	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics West Mifflin, Pennsylvania	Standard	2022-10-27	Valid
N7719T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2022-10-27	Valid
N4351L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2022-10-25	Valid
N7173A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2022-10-25	Valid
N8618U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	2022-10-25	Valid
N131MT	Cessna 172M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wings Over Texas Holdings LLC Denton, Texas	Standard	2022-10-24	Valid
N7306T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2022-10-21	Valid
N3488D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Sugarloaf Aviation LLC Carrabassett Vly, Maine	Standard	2022-10-20	Valid
N5160A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Standard	2022-10-20	Valid
N5686R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2022-10-20	Valid
N7012E	Cessna 175A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2022-10-19	Valid
N7893U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	2022-10-19	Valid
N1159F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2022-10-17	Valid
N6471B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2022-10-17	Valid
N3583S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2022-10-14	Valid
N3870S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cherryhill Aviation INC Freetown, Indiana	Standard	2022-10-14	Valid
N4474L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Puerto Rico	Standard	2022-10-14	Valid
N7152T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2022-10-14	Valid
N8085L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2022-10-14	Valid
N5622R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kv Enterprises LLC Kalispell, Montana	Standard	2022-10-12	Valid
N7607X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2022-10-12	Valid
N8372X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	N8372X LLC Chelan, Washington	Standard	2022-10-12	Valid
N8718U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2022-10-11	Valid
N4190F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2022-10-08	Valid
N8356U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2022-10-08	Valid
N9117B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2022-10-08	Valid
N8061X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2022-10-06	Valid
N8319B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2022-10-06	Valid
N7918U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2022-10-05	Valid
N8368X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2022-10-04	Valid
N6413B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2022-10-03	Valid
N6995X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2022-10-03	Valid
N7737U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2022-10-03	Valid
N8105L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Iowa Skyhawk LLC Charles City, Iowa	Standard	2022-10-03	Valid
N4687L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kful INC Fullerton, California	Standard	2022-10-01	Valid
N5330T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Milne Sales and Services LLC Lake Geneva, Wisconsin	Standard	2022-09-30	Valid
N1678F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2022-09-29	Valid
N4325L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	J & F Aviation Adventure LLC North Fort Myers, Florida	Standard	2022-09-29	Valid
N8052X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lafayette Aero Club INC West Lafayette, Indiana	Standard	2022-09-26	Valid
N2902D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2022-09-24	Valid
N6292E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2022-09-24	Valid
N8121U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2022-09-24	Valid
N6106E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Virginia	Standard	2022-09-23	Valid
N6261Q	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2022-09-23	Valid
N7459T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2022-09-23	Valid
N8807B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2022-09-23	Valid
N2802U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2022-09-20	Valid
N5997R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	2022-09-20	Valid
N6119E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2022-09-20	Valid
N8513B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2022-09-20	Valid
N5799A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2022-09-17	Valid
N8004X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2022-09-16	Valid
N5739A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Daystar LTD Ellsworth, Kansas	Standard	2022-09-15	Valid
N444YZ	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Blue Aero Group LLC Blairstown, New Jersey	Standard	2022-09-13	Valid
N5628R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2022-09-13	Valid
N928H	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2022-09-13	Valid
N2889L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Southern Star Aviation LLC Missoula, Montana	Standard	2022-09-09	Valid
N5733R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2022-09-09	Valid
N7431A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aero Care INC Orange, Massachusetts	Standard	2022-09-07	Valid
N2707U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Atkins Sean W R Nampa, Idaho	Standard	2022-09-06	Valid
N3488C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2022-09-06	Valid
N361X	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2022-09-06	Valid
N8189X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2022-09-03	Valid
N9898T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2022-09-03	Valid
N2870U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2022-09-02	Valid
N3567C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2022-09-01	Valid
N3783S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bradley Electrical Plumbing & Heating LLC Carson City, Nevada	Standard	2022-08-31	Valid
N5338T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2022-08-31	Valid
N6376E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2022-08-31	Valid
N8881	Cessna 175	Fixed-wing, single engine	Steadfast Ministries Alton, Texas	Standard	2022-08-31	Valid
N8269L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2022-08-30	Valid
N3045U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Afterburner Aviation LLC Lewes, Delaware	Standard	2022-08-29	Valid
N3846R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2022-08-27	Valid
N6051A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2022-08-27	Valid
N8786U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2022-08-26	Valid
N5039A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Sutton Aircraft Salvage LLC Palmer, Alaska	Standard	2022-08-25	Valid
N6849X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2022-08-25	Valid
N2557Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Saddle Mountain LLC Cave Creek, Arizona	Standard	2022-08-24	Valid
N7395T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2022-08-24	Valid
N17SY	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Seven Sierra Yankee LLC Monroeville, Pennsylvania	Standard	2022-08-20	Valid
N4184F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2022-08-20	Valid
N8304X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aeschliman Arlie W Tribune, Kansas	Standard	2022-08-18	Valid
N2416L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Virginia	Standard	2022-08-17	Valid
N2528L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wings of Faith Stevensville, Montana	Standard	2022-08-17	Valid
N7953B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2022-08-17	Valid
N1190F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2022-08-15	Valid
N6428E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2022-08-15	Valid
N7367A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2022-08-15	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.