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
N5638A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1994-08-24	Valid
N3674S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1994-08-23	Valid
N170PP	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	1994-08-04	Valid
N8017A	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1994-08-04	Valid
N2115Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1994-07-29	Valid
N8832Z	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1994-07-29	Valid
N1547Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1994-07-23	Valid
N2547U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	1994-07-20	Valid
N2517Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1994-06-13	Valid
N8392B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1994-06-07	Valid
N2591L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-06-01	Valid
N876W	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-05-18	Valid
N7724X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	1994-05-11	Valid
N8229X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1994-05-05	Valid
N6973X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1994-04-21	Valid
N6195E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hedrick Harold F New Port Richey, Florida	Standard	1994-04-04	Valid
N7175T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Restricted	1994-04-01	Valid
N7955B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1994-03-25	Valid
N3996S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1994-03-23	Valid
N7693T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1994-03-21	Valid
N901RJ	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1994-03-17	Valid
N6288G	Cessna 150K	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	1994-02-22	Valid
N70DK	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1994-02-17	Valid
N80995	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1994-02-14	Valid
N12032	Maule M-4	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	1994-02-11	Valid
N2435U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1994-02-07	Valid
N5989A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-02-03	Valid
N7767T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1994-01-24	Valid
N5771A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1994-01-19	Valid
N7410T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1993-12-01	Valid
N5881R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1993-11-23	Valid
N8824B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1993-11-23	Valid
N2667V	Cessna 170	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	1993-11-18	Valid
N2728U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1993-11-17	Valid
N3745S	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	1993-11-12	Valid
N5316T	Cessna 172E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Havre Flying Club INC Havre, Montana	Standard	1993-11-02	Valid
N8289B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1993-10-27	Valid
N2125Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1993-10-22	Valid
N7255A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1993-10-21	Valid
N5422R	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1993-08-30	Valid
N3497D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1993-08-23	Valid
N90951	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	1993-08-23	Valid
N1410Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1993-08-20	Valid
N7365A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1993-08-20	Valid
N6078A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1993-08-12	Valid
N7490X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	1993-08-12	Valid
N2718U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1993-08-05	Valid
N5769R	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1993-08-05	Valid
N8261B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	1993-08-04	Valid
N4228F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1993-07-21	Valid
N7363A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	F D P Aviation INC Irwin, Pennsylvania	Standard	1993-07-20	Valid
N8290B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1993-07-07	Valid
N8497U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Rawlins Flying Club INC Rawlins, Wyoming	Standard	1993-07-01	Valid
N2631D	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1993-06-24	Valid
N2787L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gateway Flying Club INC Saint Louis, Missouri	Standard	1993-06-17	Valid
N4011F	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1993-04-27	Valid
N6631E	Cessna 175	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1993-04-22	Valid
N5207F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States Air Force Owner Clovis, New Mexico	Standard	1993-04-13	Valid
N5228F	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States US Air Force Dover Afb, Delaware	Standard	1993-04-13	Valid
N8152U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1993-04-02	Valid
N1670Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	1993-02-11	Valid
N2763L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	1993-02-04	Valid
N4682L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arkansas	Standard	1993-01-08	Valid
N9834T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1992-12-16	Valid
N46GS	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1992-11-03	Valid
N7109T	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1992-11-03	Valid
N2174Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1992-10-27	Valid
N8619B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-10-21	Valid
N6623A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1992-10-09	Valid
N5054A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1992-10-02	Valid
N5545C	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1992-08-27	Valid
N4159L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1992-08-11	Valid
N4388B	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1992-07-16	Valid
N7869T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1992-07-09	Valid
N1670F	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Tillamook Pilots Association Tillamook, Oregon	Standard	1992-07-08	Valid
N2336U	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	1992-05-29	Valid
N6314E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Weber Tom L Douglas, Wyoming	Standard	1992-05-28	Valid
N2172Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	1992-05-21	Valid
N5579C	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1992-05-01	Valid
N4373L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1992-04-16	Valid
N497RA	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1992-04-15	Valid
N7843X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1992-04-14	Valid
N4418L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Iroquois Soaring Assn Rome, New York	Standard	1992-03-24	Valid
N1804Y	Cessna 172C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Multiple	1992-03-12	Valid
N7674T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	1992-03-10	Valid
N1331D	Cessna 170A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Multiple	1992-03-04	Valid
N6295E	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	1992-03-02	Valid
N2479L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	1992-02-19	Valid
N4205L	Cessna 172G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	1992-02-13	Valid
N2665L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	1992-02-12	Valid
N7840U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	1992-02-12	Valid
N7402T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	1992-02-06	Valid
N2448Y	Cessna 172D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1992-02-05	Valid
N5071A	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1992-01-25	Valid
N3225L	Cessna 172H	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wing Nuts INC Maryville, Missouri	Standard	1992-01-15	Valid
N7292T	Cessna 172A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1992-01-02	Valid
N8095X	Cessna 172B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1991-12-27	Valid
N8535U	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1991-12-12	Valid
N8777B	Cessna 172	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	1991-12-05	Valid
N8224E	Cessna 170B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1991-12-03	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.