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
N7820U	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Morris Aviation LLC Spring Hill, Tennessee	Standard	2003-08-19	Valid
N6350E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Airport Bums Aero Club Branson, Missouri	Standard	2003-08-07	Valid
N8001L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2003-08-06	Valid
N4077F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2003-07-30	Valid
N3819R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2003-07-22	Valid
N8225B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2003-07-22	Valid
N7969B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2003-07-15	Valid
N1658Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Yankee LLC Casa Grande, Arizona	Standard	2003-07-14	Valid
N6208E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2003-07-08	Valid
N3664S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2003-06-27	Valid
N172GV	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2003-06-24	Valid
N2682U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2003-06-23	Valid
N3873R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2003-06-19	Valid
N172F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2003-06-18	Valid
N5998A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Crow Todd R Hinckley, Minnesota	Standard	2003-06-12	Valid
N8414X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rps-Lrs Investments INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2003-06-05	Valid
N3867S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2003-05-21	Valid
N8800Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Maryland	Standard	2003-05-19	Valid
N2389U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Iowa	Standard	2003-05-15	Valid
N3917F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2003-05-14	Valid
N1473Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2003-05-08	Valid
N2481Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fellers Farms LLC Burlington, Oklahoma	Standard	2003-05-07	Valid
N7638T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Eaglet Flight Operations LP Fort Worth, Texas	Standard	2003-05-01	Valid
N8176L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2003-05-01	Valid
N2934D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2003-04-14	Valid
N4543C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2003-04-10	Valid
N6215E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2003-04-02	Valid
N7810X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2003-04-02	Valid
N8006L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gmdg LLC Shreveport, Louisiana	Standard	2003-03-18	Valid
N8306T	Cessna 175C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2003-03-12	Valid
N6802A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aeromasters INC Surgoinsville, Tennessee	Standard	2003-03-11	Valid
N7280A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2003-03-06	Valid
N8067B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2003-03-03	Valid
N5538T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	172 Fayette INC La Grange, Texas	Standard	2003-02-25	Valid
N5527R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2003-02-24	Valid
N7632X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2003-02-06	Valid
N2786U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2003-01-21	Valid
N7014T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2003-01-13	Valid
N3797R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	2003-01-09	Valid
N1722F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2002-12-31	Valid
N5361T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dick Ronald J Fort Wayne, Indiana	Standard	2002-12-23	Valid
N8941B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Big R of Greeley INC Greeley, Colorado	Standard	2002-12-18	Valid
N1314F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2002-12-02	Valid
N8558B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Williams Ralph J Essex Junction, Vermont	Standard	2002-11-20	Valid
N8209L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2002-11-15	Valid
N5081A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Standard	2002-11-12	Valid
N8682U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aircraft N8682U INC Half Moon Bay, California	Standard	2002-11-05	Valid
N3519D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2002-11-01	Valid
N6027R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2002-11-01	Valid
N4168F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-10-07	Valid
N5413T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lrp Aircraft LLC Durham, North Carolina	Standard	2002-09-26	Valid
N13211	Cessna 172M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2002-09-25	Valid
N4210F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-09-09	Valid
N7891T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-09-04	Valid
N70RS	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2002-08-26	Valid
N7522T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2002-08-21	Valid
N3790L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-08-07	Valid
N6060A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-08-01	Valid
N8990B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-07-23	Valid
N4399B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2002-07-20	Valid
N1710F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Valley Aviators INC Williston, North Dakota	Standard	2002-07-17	Valid
N9167B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2002-07-16	Valid
N8086T	Cessna 175B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2002-07-12	Valid
N5538R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-06-24	Valid
N5711T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2002-06-21	Valid
N6703A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2002-06-20	Valid
N2732L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Glenndale LLC Jackson, Missouri	Standard	2002-06-19	Valid
N4281V	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2002-06-19	Valid
N6493B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Boyd Ryan D Stockton, California	Standard	2002-06-19	Valid
N5140A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-06-17	Valid
N8749U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hendrickson Flying Service INC Rochelle, Illinois	Standard	2002-06-11	Valid
N3564S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2002-06-03	Valid
N2995D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-05-31	Valid
N8662B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2002-05-31	Valid
N4171L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	2002-05-28	Valid
N6437B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-05-03	Valid
N5566R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2002-05-01	Valid
N5530R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2002-04-29	Valid
N2578Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2002-04-23	Valid
N6090R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Paul Rowe Memorial Airport Association INC Kahoka, Missouri	Standard	2002-04-18	Valid
N4472B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2002-04-10	Valid
N6491E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner	Standard	2002-04-04	Valid
N7322T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2002-03-26	Valid
N5470T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2002-03-19	Valid
N4713T	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Michigan Air Service CORP Troy, Michigan	Standard	2002-03-18	Valid
N5006A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-03-13	Valid
N8236L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2002-03-08	Valid
N8332X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Flight Instruction INC Central City, Nebraska	Standard	2002-03-05	Valid
N8126B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2002-02-27	Valid
N17BS	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2002-02-25	Valid
N63KG	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2002-02-15	Valid
N7455A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Applied Products LLC Grove, Oklahoma	Standard	2002-02-12	Valid
N7771T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Standard	2002-02-08	Valid
N6994X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Dakota	Standard	2002-02-01	Valid
N4902V	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2002-01-30	Valid
N5234F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States Air Force Owner Apo, AP	Standard	2002-01-30	Valid
N3582C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2002-01-24	Valid
N6489E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2002-01-15	Valid
N3936R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	2002-01-02	Valid
N7704X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2001-12-28	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.