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
N8901B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New Hampshire	Standard	2017-11-03	Valid
N4306L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2017-11-01	Valid
N5734A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2017-11-01	Valid
N723LA	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Restricted	2017-11-01	Valid
N7714U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2017-11-01	Valid
N5981R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2017-10-31	Valid
N7462A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-10-31	Valid
N3591S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	2017-10-30	Valid
N3759S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2017-10-30	Valid
N8263B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-10-30	Valid
N1416Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2017-10-27	Valid
N6408E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Morgan Lloyd J Memphis, Missouri	Standard	2017-10-26	Valid
N5597R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2017-10-17	Valid
N7975U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2017-10-17	Valid
N2700L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fly First LLC West Memphis, Arkansas	Standard	2017-10-12	Valid
N7851U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	R & S Aviation LLC Corning, Arkansas	Standard	2017-10-12	Valid
N2582D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Friesen Gary J Mariposa, California	Multiple	2017-10-10	Valid
N1302Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2017-10-05	Valid
N8491X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2017-10-04	Valid
N8092B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-10-02	Valid
N7750U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2017-09-29	Valid
N3685L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2017-09-28	Valid
N3730R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Chief Joseph Flyers INC Joseph, Oregon	Standard	2017-09-28	Valid
N5627T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2017-09-26	Valid
N50TL	Cessna A150K	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2017-09-21	Valid
N588LC	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Prodonor LLC Phoenix, Arizona	Standard	2017-09-20	Valid
N8181U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2017-09-20	Valid
N3657S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wyoming	Standard	2017-09-19	Valid
N8310X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Barah INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2017-09-18	Valid
N2911U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Night Sky LLC Canton, South Dakota	Standard	2017-09-15	Valid
N8600B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-09-13	Valid
N5595R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tailwind Enterprises LLC Edwardsville, Illinois	Standard	2017-09-12	Valid
N3603L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2017-09-11	Valid
N6103E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2017-09-11	Valid
N8868U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2017-09-07	Valid
N1614F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2017-09-06	Valid
N172LW	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-09-06	Valid
N7527X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2017-09-05	Valid
N41AF	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum INC Dallas, Texas	Standard	2017-08-31	Valid
N8521B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2017-08-31	Valid
N3714L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Arizona Aircraft Leasing LLC Mesa, Arizona	Standard	2017-08-30	Valid
N7759T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2017-08-29	Valid
N1349Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2017-08-28	Valid
N7771U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2017-08-28	Valid
N8457U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-08-28	Valid
N2502Y	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2017-08-23	Valid
N5358R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2017-08-23	Valid
N7756X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skelton Air LLC Lewiston, Idaho	Standard	2017-08-23	Valid
N4437L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2017-08-22	Valid
N2744U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	2017-08-21	Valid
N5901A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2017-08-21	Valid
N7550T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2017-08-21	Valid
N7606T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-08-15	Valid
N67RV	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2017-08-14	Valid
N8045L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-08-14	Valid
N8070B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Flybravo LLC Jasper, Texas	Standard	2017-08-14	Valid
N6JY	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2017-08-09	Valid
N7136A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2017-08-08	Valid
N5618T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2017-08-07	Valid
N5620A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-08-04	Valid
N6657A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-08-04	Valid
N20188	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2017-08-03	Valid
N2613U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2017-08-03	Valid
N1519Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Maryland	Restricted	2017-08-02	Valid
N2437Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2017-08-01	Valid
N8543B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Kilo Aviation LLC East Peoria, Illinois	Standard	2017-08-01	Valid
N5175A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2017-07-31	Valid
N6473B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2017-07-31	Valid
N1530Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2017-07-27	Valid
N1891Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Carolina Sky LLC Rock Hill, South Carolina	Standard	2017-07-27	Valid
N2850L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2017-07-26	Valid
N7712U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2017-07-26	Valid
N2840U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-07-25	Valid
N2546Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Avquest LLC Jonesboro, Arkansas	Standard	2017-07-24	Valid
N1562Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2017-07-19	Valid
N7527T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-07-18	Valid
N4218L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wengs Enterprises INC Tustin, California	Standard	2017-07-17	Valid
N5752T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-07-17	Valid
N7889T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hele Lani LLC Mililani, Hawaii	Standard	2017-07-17	Valid
N6498E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-07-14	Valid
N7023T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2017-07-13	Valid
N2549L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2017-07-12	Valid
N7710X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2017-07-10	Valid
N8219V	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	2017-07-10	Valid
N2499Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2017-07-07	Valid
N3695S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2017-06-29	Valid
N5154F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gilstrap William D Catoosa, Oklahoma	Standard	2017-06-23	Valid
N7975X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2017-06-23	Valid
N8633B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-06-23	Valid
N2594L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2017-06-22	Valid
N8799B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2017-06-22	Valid
N9825T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Louisiana	Standard	2017-06-20	Valid
N7964X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-06-19	Valid
N2668L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2017-06-16	Valid
N8067L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aviation Guys LLC Charleston, West Virginia	Standard	2017-06-16	Valid
N8479X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2017-06-16	Valid
N2923D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2017-06-15	Valid
N4096F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2017-06-14	Valid
N8068X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	2017-06-14	Valid
N2852U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2017-06-13	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.