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
N7502T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1997-10-02	Valid
N5896A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fox Black Enterprises INC Kilmarnock, Virginia	Standard	1997-09-25	Valid
N1499Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1997-09-18	Valid
N2656L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Mississippi	Standard	1997-08-28	Valid
N8064B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1997-08-12	Valid
N4106L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	1997-07-31	Valid
N2412U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1997-07-29	Valid
N5241F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States Air Force Owner Apo, AP	Standard	1997-07-25	Valid
N1459F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1997-05-19	Valid
N1636Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	1997-05-16	Valid
N991NA	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1997-05-15	Valid
N2976D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1997-05-14	Valid
N4269L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1997-04-17	Valid
N5643A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1997-04-16	Valid
N6222E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New Mexico	Standard	1997-03-20	Valid
N6022R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1997-03-10	Valid
N4734T	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1997-02-26	Valid
N2777L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1997-02-19	Valid
N7396T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1997-02-12	Valid
N2191Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1997-02-10	Valid
N7454A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1997-01-15	Valid
N3709F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1997-01-07	Valid
N5152A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1997-01-03	Valid
N2942U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1996-12-31	Valid
N1454Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1996-12-18	Valid
N4273F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1996-12-12	Valid
N7342A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1996-12-11	Valid
N1423F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	1996-12-10	Valid
N3979F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1996-11-19	Valid
N3241L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1996-11-18	Valid
N3941R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1996-10-28	Valid
N8858B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	1996-10-24	Valid
N8292L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1996-10-16	Valid
N2255D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1996-10-02	Valid
N4538C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1996-09-27	Valid
N3856R	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1996-08-15	Valid
N1102F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Grant County State Bank Carson, North Dakota	Standard	1996-08-13	Valid
N3733F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1996-08-09	Valid
N1120F	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	1996-08-07	Valid
N227M	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Skyway Partners Woodside, California	Standard	1996-07-31	Valid
N6293E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	1996-07-29	Valid
N163MC	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1996-07-01	Valid
N5565R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1996-06-25	Valid
N3809S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Montana	Standard	1996-05-31	Valid
N7961X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1996-05-30	Valid
N8250L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1996-05-29	Valid
N7499X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Vintage Aircraft LTD Hortonville, Wisconsin	Standard	1996-05-18	Valid
N1810Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Rhode Island	Standard	1996-05-10	Valid
N5572T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1996-05-09	Valid
N1875Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1996-05-07	Valid
N4423L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1996-04-18	Valid
N5858R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1996-03-14	Valid
N5321T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Multiple	1996-01-27	Valid
N3925F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1996-01-25	Valid
N7699T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Thomas AG Aerial INC Thomas, Oklahoma	Standard	1996-01-23	Valid
N8215X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1996-01-16	Valid
N3284L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1995-11-30	Valid
N4370L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Air North Flying Club Malone, New York	Standard	1995-11-20	Valid
N3603S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Better Fly INC Litchfield, Illinois	Standard	1995-11-14	Valid
N1459Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1995-09-27	Valid
N7211A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-09-26	Valid
N3410D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	1995-09-15	Valid
N4336L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-09-15	Valid
N5644R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1995-09-14	Valid
N5131F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1995-09-13	Valid
N8397X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1995-09-12	Valid
N8398B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1995-09-06	Valid
N5646R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1995-09-01	Valid
N3861L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1995-08-31	Valid
N5958A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1995-08-31	Valid
N3975S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1995-07-21	Valid
N3770F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1995-07-14	Valid
N7336A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ranger Aviation INC Burlington, Colorado	Standard	1995-06-29	Valid
N424BC	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pikeside Flying Club INC Martinsburg, West Virginia	Standard	1995-05-24	Valid
N4319B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1995-05-22	Valid
N7947B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1995-04-27	Valid
N2568U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1995-04-26	Valid
N2007Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-04-18	Valid
N6150E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-04-12	Valid
N6369E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1995-04-11	Valid
N2410L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1995-03-29	Valid
N4446B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Oz Aviation INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	1995-03-18	Valid
N8339B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1995-03-15	Valid
N135JB	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	1995-03-06	Valid
N8011L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1995-03-01	Valid
N5028A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1995-01-30	Valid
N2176Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1994-12-13	Valid
N6823X	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1994-12-09	Valid
N6619A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1994-12-07	Valid
N5009A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	1994-11-25	Valid
N7697X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1994-11-15	Valid
N5204F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States Air Force Offutt Afb, Nebraska	Standard	1994-11-08	Valid
N6694A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1994-11-08	Valid
N8427U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Massachusetts	Standard	1994-10-27	Valid
N8278X	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1994-10-20	Valid
N7594T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-10-14	Valid
N3992L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	1994-09-22	Valid
N3520C	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1994-09-06	Valid
N8415	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1994-09-06	Valid
N3976L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1994-08-30	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.