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
N724LC	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2017-01-05	Valid
N7416A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ace Flying CO LLC Wichita, Kansas	Standard	2017-01-05	Valid
N8180B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2017-01-05	Valid
N6131E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New York	Standard	2017-01-04	Valid
N6897A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2017-01-04	Valid
N877TF	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Multiple	2017-01-04	Valid
N8804Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Poorboy Flying Club LLC Erick, Oklahoma	Standard	2017-01-04	Valid
N93TP	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2017-01-04	Valid
N9861T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2017-01-04	Valid
N3626L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2017-01-03	Valid
N8163B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aerosim INC Stockton, California	Standard	2017-01-03	Valid
N3644L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2016-12-30	Valid
N4661L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2016-12-29	Valid
N7257A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2016-12-22	Valid
N2555U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2016-12-21	Valid
N3407D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2016-12-21	Valid
N5647T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2016-12-21	Valid
N5757T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Five Seven Tango INC Fitchburg, Wisconsin	Multiple	2016-12-21	Valid
N8314A	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2016-12-16	Valid
N6854A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2016-12-15	Valid
N7516T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2016-12-15	Valid
N7463T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2016-12-13	Valid
N3227L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-12-12	Valid
N7005A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2016-12-12	Valid
N7694T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2016-12-12	Valid
N3373B	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-12-08	Valid
N6942A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Carolina	Standard	2016-12-08	Valid
N8394X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2016-12-07	Valid
N7154A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2016-12-06	Valid
N5644T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Scootair LLC Alburgh, Vermont	Standard	2016-12-05	Valid
N2554U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mustang Ops LLC Orem, Utah	Standard	2016-12-01	Valid
N8862U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2016-12-01	Valid
N6877X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2016-11-30	Valid
N7541X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2016-11-29	Valid
N8178X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2016-11-29	Valid
N2691U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2016-11-28	Valid
N8871B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2016-11-28	Valid
N1387Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bi-County Ambulance Service INC Yuba City, California	Standard	2016-11-22	Valid
N1534Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lipsmeyer Jason K Springdale, Arkansas	Standard	2016-11-22	Valid
N7788X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-11-22	Valid
N3928F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2016-11-21	Valid
N5122F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2016-11-21	Valid
N61LV	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2016-11-21	Valid
N5661T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2016-11-17	Valid
N729WD	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2016-11-17	Valid
N2733L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2016-11-15	Valid
N170WY	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wyoming	Standard	2016-11-10	Valid
N1854Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2016-11-10	Valid
N515N	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-11-07	Valid
N7770T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2016-11-04	Valid
N8376X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2016-11-04	Valid
N7948B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2016-11-02	Valid
N4269F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2016-11-01	Valid
N6649A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New York	Standard	2016-11-01	Valid
N8352X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-11-01	Valid
N8291L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Usglap LLC Fort Morgan, Colorado	Standard	2016-10-31	Valid
N234RM	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2016-10-25	Valid
N6740A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2016-10-24	Valid
N8879B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-10-24	Valid
N405MW	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2016-10-20	Valid
N7056T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2016-10-18	Valid
N7930B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	2016-10-18	Valid
N6220E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2016-10-17	Valid
N5482R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2016-10-13	Valid
N8206L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2016-10-05	Valid
N6608A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-10-04	Valid
N8213U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2016-10-03	Valid
N69AM	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2016-09-30	Valid
N7796X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Parnello Nick Rockford, Illinois	Standard	2016-09-28	Valid
N8017X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Caudill Jimmy L Grove, Oklahoma	Standard	2016-09-26	Valid
N8129B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Seneca Enhancements Company LLC Portland, Oregon	Multiple	2016-09-26	Valid
N8229U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2016-09-21	Valid
N7226T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2016-09-19	Valid
N8341T	Cessna 175C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2016-09-15	Valid
N5682A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2016-09-13	Valid
N8437X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2016-09-13	Valid
N7496X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Above All Aviation INC Santa Barbara, California	Standard	2016-09-12	Valid
N5641R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2016-09-07	Valid
N2997U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2016-09-06	Valid
N7267M	Cessna 175	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2016-09-06	Valid
N6864A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2016-09-01	Valid
N7666X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-09-01	Valid
N7789U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2016-08-26	Valid
N4090F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fox Aero Club Catawba, North Carolina	Standard	2016-08-25	Valid
N7503T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2016-08-25	Valid
N7911X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2016-08-24	Valid
N3690L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-08-23	Valid
N6839X	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2016-08-23	Valid
N7312T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hangar 20 Flying Club LLC Climax, Michigan	Standard	2016-08-23	Valid
N8081L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aerowood Aviation LLC Monroe, North Carolina	Standard	2016-08-23	Valid
N14KM	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	River City Aero Club INC Columbus, Georgia	Standard	2016-08-19	Valid
N170JK	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2016-08-18	Valid
N4229F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2016-08-16	Valid
N6979A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2016-08-16	Valid
N1722S	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-08-10	Valid
N3896S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fishsaildiveeat LLC North Miami Beach, Florida	Standard	2016-08-10	Valid
N7386A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2016-08-10	Valid
N2626U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2016-08-09	Valid
N6067R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2016-08-09	Valid
N1351Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2016-08-08	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.