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
N2413U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Amazon Aero CORP Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2019-10-28	Valid
N5746T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2019-10-28	Valid
N5938A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Land-O-Matics LLC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2019-10-28	Valid
N7379A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2019-10-25	Valid
N2940U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2019-10-24	Valid
N7781T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2019-10-24	Valid
N12008	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2019-10-23	Valid
N1366Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tulsa Turbine & Recip INC Tulsa, Oklahoma	Standard	2019-10-23	Valid
N69ZB	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Springfield Flying Service LLC Columbia, California	Standard	2019-10-23	Valid
N8490U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	2019-10-22	Valid
N5492T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2019-10-21	Valid
N8210B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2019-10-16	Valid
N3451C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2019-10-11	Valid
N5770R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2019-10-11	Valid
N1632F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2019-10-10	Valid
N2524L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2019-10-10	Valid
N6804A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2019-10-10	Valid
N3862L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2019-10-08	Valid
N5412T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2019-10-08	Valid
N7998U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Sparks Fly LLC Mount Gilead, Ohio	Multiple	2019-10-08	Valid
N3749L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	2019-10-07	Valid
N5165A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2019-10-07	Valid
N7721T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2019-10-07	Valid
N1853Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2019-10-02	Valid
N5873R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	3 Points LLC Comstock Park, Michigan	Standard	2019-10-02	Valid
N4479B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Big Wing LLC Delavan, Minnesota	Standard	2019-09-30	Valid
N6446E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ester Escape LLC Hill City, South Dakota	Standard	2019-09-30	Valid
N8354X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Willow Equip LLC Fox River Grove, Illinois	Standard	2019-09-30	Valid
N7981U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skyhawk Aviation LLC Midland, Michigan	Standard	2019-09-27	Valid
N5771R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2019-09-26	Valid
N8157B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2019-09-26	Valid
N8606B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2019-09-26	Valid
N6903A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2019-09-25	Valid
N8101U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	2019-09-24	Valid
N7387A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2019-09-18	Valid
N3771L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Flying Bs LLC Midlothian, Texas	Standard	2019-09-16	Valid
N1652Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2019-09-14	Valid
N2030Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2019-09-14	Valid
N5934A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2019-09-13	Valid
N1757F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2019-09-12	Valid
N1313Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Multiple	2019-09-11	Valid
N2443U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Intream Companies LLC Perryville, Missouri	Standard	2019-09-11	Valid
N6424E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2019-09-11	Valid
N7071A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2019-09-11	Valid
N7888T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2019-09-11	Valid
N3792L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2019-09-09	Valid
N7059A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2019-09-06	Valid
N7856X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	2019-09-06	Valid
N1522Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2019-09-05	Valid
N3927S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2019-09-05	Valid
N563RS	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Raven Bryan F Lakeland, Florida	Standard	2019-09-05	Valid
N3634L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2019-09-04	Valid
N6442E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fat Bob Aviation Holdings LLC Midland, Michigan	Standard	2019-09-04	Valid
N8548B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Massachusetts	Standard	2019-09-04	Valid
N7076T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2019-09-03	Valid
N3785L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2019-08-30	Valid
N3928R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Delaware	Standard	2019-08-29	Valid
N7277T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2019-08-29	Valid
N4272L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2019-08-28	Valid
N7941B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tetrahedron LLC Layton, Utah	Standard	2019-08-28	Valid
N1602F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Delaware	Standard	2019-08-27	Valid
N8725U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Arklamiss Aviation LLC Ruston, Louisiana	Standard	2019-08-26	Valid
N9753T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2019-08-26	Valid
N4104F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2019-08-23	Valid
N5709R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Nick Monsen Trucking INC Buffalo Center, Iowa	Standard	2019-08-22	Valid
N3763R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Primo Aviation LLC Collierville, Tennessee	Standard	2019-08-21	Valid
N2715U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Belle Fourche Flight Center LLC Belle Fourche, South Dakota	Standard	2019-08-20	Valid
N3630S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fly Dogs LLC Sunbury, Ohio	Standard	2019-08-20	Valid
N6431E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Group 172 LLC Tucson, Arizona	Standard	2019-08-20	Valid
N2403Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2019-08-19	Valid
N2930D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2019-08-19	Valid
N4326B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2019-08-19	Valid
N564ED	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2019-08-19	Valid
N8BA	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hoffman Schuyler Brighton, Colorado	Standard	2019-08-19	Valid
N4179L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Morristown Flying Service INC Talbott, Tennessee	Standard	2019-08-14	Valid
N7600T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Xin Han Aviation LLC Atwater, California	Standard	2019-08-14	Valid
N1658F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mondo Beyondo Thrill Squadron Pasadena, California	Standard	2019-08-13	Valid
N5305T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2019-08-13	Valid
N6428B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2019-08-13	Valid
N5505R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Merritt Island Flying Club INC Merritt Island, Florida	Standard	2019-08-09	Valid
N5334R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2019-08-08	Valid
N6093A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2019-08-08	Valid
N3903R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2019-08-06	Valid
N4254F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Red Baron LLC Davis City, Iowa	Standard	2019-08-06	Valid
N4408B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2019-08-06	Valid
N139BT	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	2019-08-05	Valid
N7478A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Colorado Air Ventures LLC Colorado Springs, Colorado	Standard	2019-08-05	Valid
N7952U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tigger II Airways LLC Towson, Maryland	Standard	2019-08-02	Valid
N3983F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	2019-07-31	Valid
N5596R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Restricted	2019-07-31	Valid
N7551X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2019-07-31	Valid
N8498X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	2019-07-30	Valid
N3727L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Moyer David J Middletown, Delaware	Standard	2019-07-26	Valid
N4473B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2019-07-18	Valid
N51FA	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2019-07-18	Valid
N9891T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2019-07-18	Valid
N2661L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alabama	Standard	2019-07-17	Valid
N2764U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2019-07-17	Valid
N2699U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2019-07-16	Valid
N6049R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2019-07-15	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.