Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 9, 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
N5853R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2011-10-05	Valid
N1646Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Minion Air John Day, Oregon	Standard	2011-10-04	Valid
N2402L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2011-09-29	Valid
N1444F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2011-09-28	Valid
N7187A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-09-28	Valid
N55LH	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	L H Aviation LLC Clanton, Alabama	Standard	2011-09-27	Valid
N5800C	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-09-27	Valid
N8316B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2011-09-26	Valid
N8753U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2011-09-23	Valid
N7993B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2011-09-21	Valid
N4197F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2011-09-20	Valid
N7120T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	2011-09-20	Valid
N7006T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	2011-09-19	Valid
N7302A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skywagon Aero LLC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2011-09-12	Valid
N1147F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-09-10	Valid
N2019Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2011-09-02	Valid
N122KS	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pt Arts LLC Grand Rapids, Michigan	Standard	2011-09-01	Valid
N8983B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2011-08-31	Valid
N4112F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2011-08-29	Valid
N8229L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2011-08-25	Valid
N71TD	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2011-08-24	Valid
N2348U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2011-08-15	Valid
N3713F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2011-08-12	Valid
N8008B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-08-10	Valid
N7706X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aircaft Guaranty CORP Trustee Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	Standard	2011-08-04	Valid
N2661U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-08-01	Valid
N3942F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2011-08-01	Valid
N6207E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2011-07-27	Valid
N7402X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Clemson Flying Club INC Seneca, South Carolina	Standard	2011-07-26	Valid
N4406B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2011-07-22	Valid
N6833A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Chapter 163 Flying Club Las Vegas, Nevada	Standard	2011-07-21	Valid
N256NY	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2011-07-19	Valid
N78317	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2011-07-14	Valid
N8315X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2011-07-14	Valid
N3056U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2011-07-13	Valid
N8070X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2011-07-13	Valid
N2095Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2011-07-12	Valid
N1445Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Tennessee	Standard	2011-07-11	Valid
N5031A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2011-07-11	Valid
N442PG	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Luedders & Reed INC Pawnee City, Nebraska	Standard	2011-07-07	Valid
N7299T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2011-07-07	Valid
N2388U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2011-07-05	Valid
N8009B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2011-07-01	Valid
N5000A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2011-06-30	Valid
N6385E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lucky Dog Land CO LLC Caldwell, Idaho	Standard	2011-06-30	Valid
N1634F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wings & A Prayer Gso LLC Weaverville, North Carolina	Standard	2011-06-29	Valid
N8142U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arkansas	Standard	2011-06-29	Valid
N3903F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2011-06-27	Valid
N5496R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-06-27	Valid
N4134F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nebraska	Standard	2011-06-23	Valid
N7951B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rocky Creek Jbd INC Boca Grande, Florida	Standard	2011-06-22	Valid
N5362R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2011-06-18	Valid
N7137A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2011-06-17	Valid
N1324F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2011-06-14	Valid
N8404U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aviation Career Enrichment INC Atlanta, Georgia	Standard	2011-06-09	Valid
N8305B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2011-06-07	Valid
N8166L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2011-05-27	Valid
N1634Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2011-05-26	Valid
N8271X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2011-05-25	Valid
N538TB	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2011-05-19	Valid
N2078Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2011-05-13	Valid
N1830Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2011-05-12	Valid
N3986F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2011-05-04	Valid
N5413R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	2011-05-02	Valid
N6239E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Multiple	2011-04-30	Valid
N2779L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2011-04-29	Valid
N1864Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2011-04-20	Valid
N8579U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Iowa	Standard	2011-04-18	Valid
N6020A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Danielson Donald J Walla Walla, Washington	Standard	2011-04-16	Valid
N6633A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-04-15	Valid
N3743F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2011-04-14	Valid
N7228A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2011-04-12	Valid
N7720X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-04-11	Valid
N7533T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	2011-04-07	Valid
N6189E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2011-04-06	Valid
N8814B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2011-04-05	Valid
N1821Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	2011-03-31	Valid
N305AC	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tascosa Trail INC Gruver, Texas	Standard	2011-03-23	Valid
N5445T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2011-03-18	Valid
N3622L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2011-03-14	Valid
N8216L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2011-03-14	Valid
N2670L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2011-02-22	Valid
N7585T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-02-18	Valid
N8268X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2011-02-16	Valid
N5744T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2011-02-14	Valid
N8226B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2011-02-10	Valid
N3722F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hutchinson Flying Club LLC Freeman, South Dakota	Standard	2011-02-07	Valid
N4220L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2011-01-26	Valid
N5580T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2011-01-19	Valid
N5458T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2011-01-13	Valid
N6978A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-01-12	Valid
N358TA	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2011-01-10	Valid
N2934U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2011-01-06	Valid
N6912A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2011-01-04	Valid
N8043X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	2010-12-27	Valid
N8425X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2010-12-23	Valid
N4097F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2010-12-16	Valid
N4172F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2010-12-10	Valid
N7733U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2010-12-03	Valid
N7676T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2010-12-01	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 9, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.