Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 9, 2026

Lycoming IO-540 series

4,218 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Lycoming IO-540 series engine, rated at about 300 horsepower. The Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga is the model most often fitted with it (1,059 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1965 and 2026.

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 Lycoming IO-540 series (2 codes). FAA spellings: IO-540 SER · IO 540 SER.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga	1,059
Cessna 182 Skylane	978
Robinson R44	294
Piper PA-23 Apache and Aztec	175
Daher (Socata) TB-20	151
Maule M-7	108
Cessna 206 Stationair	99
Piper AEROSTAR 601	84
Rockwell International 114	78
Commander Aircraft Co 114	63
Maule M-6	47
Maule MT-7	42

Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga · Cessna 182 Skylane · Robinson R44 · Piper PA-23 Apache and Aztec · Daher (Socata) TB-20 · Maule M-7 · Cessna 206 Stationair · Piper AEROSTAR 601 · Rockwell International 114 · Commander Aircraft Co 114

Where they are owner's state

Texas420Florida398California295Delaware218North Carolina124Georgia123Michigan115Pennsylvania109Alaska109Alabama108

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	420
Florida	398
California	295
Delaware	218
North Carolina	124
Georgia	123
Michigan	115
Pennsylvania	109
Alaska	109
Alabama	108

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles3,503 (83%)Piston twins410 (10%)Helicopters296 (7%)Turboprops9 (0.2%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	3,503	83%
Piston twins	410	10%
Helicopters	296	7%
Turboprops	9	0.2%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1940	2
1950	13
1960	96
1970	797
1980	579
1990	748
2000	1,339
2010	78
2020	56

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Lycoming IO-540 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (1E4, held by Lycoming Engines). The FAA has issued 49 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 316 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 17 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 49 airworthiness directives · newest first

2026-09-142026-17-10 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · engine

2026-04-082026-04-11 · Engine (Reciprocating) · engine

2024-12-052024-21-02 · Engine (Reciprocating) · engine

2022-08-152022-16-03 · Engine (RECIPROCATING) · engine

2017-08-152017-16-11 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · engine

2015-11-032015-19-07 · Fuel injector fuel lines · engine

All orders naming the Lycoming IO-540 series

Failure reports 316 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
95	3
96	3
97	3
98	4
99	4
00	11
01	37
02	15
03	37
04	34
05	50
06	30
07	19
08	12
09	3
10	12
11	2
12	7
13	5
14	6
15	2
17	1
19	4
20	2
22	2
23	1
24	5
26	2

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Magneto19Cylinder10Bearing8Gasket8Bolt7Boot7Actuator6Line6Pump6Baffle5

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Magneto	19
Cylinder	10
Bearing	8
Gasket	8
Bolt	7
Boot	7
Actuator	6
Line	6
Pump	6
Baffle	5

Latest reports

2026-05-09Thrust Button: faulted

2026-01-29Magneto: failed

2024-08-07Magneto: failed

2024-08-06Magneto: failed

2024-03-14Magneto: failed

Certificates and bulletins

1E4Type certificate held by Lycoming Engines · 81 models listed · revised February 28, 2018

Safety bulletins 14 · advice, not orders

2019-05-02NE-19-08 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section - Lycoming Engines Parallel Valve Cylinders

2016-05-13NE-08-32R1 · Propeller Governor Idler Gear Shaft Set Screw

2014-03-24NE-14-13 · Reciprocating Engine - Cylinder Mounting Studs

2012-11-21NE-13-06 · Pushrod Shroud Spring Retainers, Engine Components Part No. AEL14995, for Lycoming Engines 320,...

2011-03-31NE-08-26R3 · Magneto/Distributor

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

Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga 1,059 with this engine series
Cessna 182 Skylane 978 with this engine series
Robinson R44 294 with this engine series
Piper PA-23 Apache and Aztec 175 with this engine series
Daher (Socata) TB-20 151 with this engine series
Maule M-7 108 with this engine series
Cessna 206 Stationair 99 with this engine series
Piper AEROSTAR 601 84 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 420 of these aircraft
Florida 398 of these aircraft
California 295 of these aircraft
Delaware 218 of these aircraft
North Carolina 124 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Civil Air Patrol 55 of these aircraft
Southern Aircraft Consultancy INC Trustee 20 of these aircraft
Barr Air Patrol LLC 17 of these aircraft
International Air Services INC Trustee 16 of these aircraft
T A F Y Consulting 14 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Lycoming IO-540 series 49 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Lycoming IO-540 series 316 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/lycoming-io-540-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 4,218

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N2261N	Mcintosh Verlin D STEEN SKYBOLT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Experimental	1999-06-08	Valid
N948SA	Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1999-05-18	Valid
N195TC	Commander Aircraft Co 114TC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1999-05-12	Valid
N36575	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	1999-04-19	Valid
N9288B	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wuest Air LLC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	1999-04-15	Valid
N800TM	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mmm Fliers LLC South Bend, Indiana	Standard	1999-03-22	Valid
N23782	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Zylstra Cycle CO INC Ames, Iowa	Standard	1999-03-16	Valid
N174JK	Butler James A SERIES 90	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Experimental	1999-03-12	Valid
N54808	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Wsk INC Wolfeboro, New Hampshire	Standard	1999-03-10	Valid
N42058	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	State of North Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina	Standard	1999-02-19	Valid
N4296S	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	B J Air INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	1999-02-08	Valid
N2365N	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Dulles Aviation Bristow, Virginia	Standard	1999-01-28	Valid
N8308M	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gfl Aircraft Leasing CORP Glens Falls, New York	Standard	1999-01-25	Valid
N570TC	Cook Timothy ATLANTIS	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Experimental	1998-12-30	Valid
N540JR	Hrabe John/Foley Denis GLASAIR III	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1998-12-07	Valid
N93KC	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	T I M e Flight INC Heber Springs, Arkansas	Standard	1998-10-19	Valid
N110CR	Smith AEROSTAR 601P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	1998-09-17	Valid
N300BH	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Green Valley Corporation I San Jose, California	Standard	1998-08-28	Valid
N3001X	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Terrebonne Aviation INC Houma, Louisiana	Standard	1998-08-25	Valid
N777MK	Smith AEROSTAR 601P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1998-08-24	Valid
N284	Grissom Timothy J SH-IIIRG	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Experimental	1998-08-21	Valid
N722DM	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	U S Wire Manufacturers INC Redwood City, California	Standard	1998-08-21	Valid
N22222	Oldenkamp D J/Oldenkamp M L GLASAIR III	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Experimental	1998-08-10	Valid
N403ES	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Plumdaffy LLC West Chatham, Massachusetts	Standard	1998-08-08	Valid
N97219	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1998-08-04	Valid
N9543F	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1998-07-29	Valid
N2510M	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Yonder CORP Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	1998-07-13	Valid
N2204U	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Li'L Dawg Aviation INC Florence, Alabama	Standard	1998-07-10	Valid
N3014X	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	1998-06-17	Valid
N826WR	Aerofab Inc LAKE LA-250	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1998-06-03	Valid
N49JM	Metcalf John William Jr SKYBOLT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Scott L Geller CO Fort Myers, Florida	Experimental	1998-05-26	Valid
N351BR	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1998-04-15	Valid
N361FS	Maule M-7-235B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Blue Yonder Aviation INC Rochester, New York	Standard	1998-03-12	Valid
N9725C	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1998-03-12	Valid
N2881Z	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	1998-02-18	Valid
N239A	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Shiloh Flite Five Eden, North Carolina	Standard	1998-02-11	Valid
N2174S	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1998-01-07	Valid
N5648N	Maule M-6-235	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1997-11-12	Valid
N82162	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1997-10-28	Valid
N5871N	Rockwell International 114	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1997-10-10	Valid
N330P	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Caldaso INC Peachtree City, Georgia	Standard	1997-09-26	Valid
N182CK	Cessna 182S	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1997-09-18	Valid
N2229J	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1997-09-09	Valid
N56475	Maule M-7-235A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1997-09-09	Valid
N23G	Polytron Corporation SEA WIND 300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Polytron Corporation San Martin, California	Experimental	1997-08-13	Valid
N84A	Moss G B VARDA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1997-08-05	Valid
N601DJ	Piper AEROSTAR 601P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1997-07-29	Valid
N942TA	Siai-Marchetti F.260B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lost Squadron INC Wilmington, Delaware	Experimental	1997-07-23	Valid
N131JT	Aero Commander 500-B	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Central Airlines INC Leawood, Kansas	Standard	1997-07-18	Valid
N113CD	Downing Charles E D1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Experimental	1997-04-09	Valid
N101HH	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Elmhurst Holdings LLC East Rochester, New York	Standard	1997-04-01	Valid
N300DD	Harvey Eoin TEXAS HURRICANE	Fixed-wing, single engine	De Aviation INC La Porte, Texas	Experimental	1997-02-26	Valid
N123BS	Bellanca 17-31A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Vermont	Experimental	1997-02-19	Valid
N2582Z	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Chandler Air Service INC Chandler, Arizona	Standard	1997-02-19	Valid
N4339L	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ann Arbor Flyers INC Ann Arbor, Michigan	Standard	1997-01-03	Valid
N97RK	Keenan M P/Keenan R A STEEN SKYBOLT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Keenan Michael P Ankeny, Iowa	Experimental	1996-12-03	Valid
N221RJ	Schneider Ronald H EXPRESS FT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Experimental	1996-07-25	Valid
N330SX	Schumacher Joe P SX-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Db Aero INC Wilmington, Delaware	Experimental	1996-07-18	Valid
N2231J	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wares Auto Sales INC Traverse City, Michigan	Standard	1996-06-05	Valid
N60LM	Piper AEROSTAR 601P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Nb Airplane INC Ithaca, New York	Standard	1996-05-08	Valid
N4990W	Rockwell International 114	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Standard	1996-04-25	Valid
N99BS	Piper PA-32R-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wisconsin	Standard	1996-04-24	Valid
N30417	Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD	Fixed-wing, single engine	United States of America Owner Travis Afb, California	Standard	1996-04-17	Valid
N540RM	Mokry Robert B HARMON ROCKET II	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1996-01-31	Valid
N250FD	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Tailwind Aviation INC Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan	Standard	1995-12-05	Valid
N89MT	Turner Mark R EXPRESS FT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Experimental	1995-11-30	Valid
N29157	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Midwest Aero INC Bay City, Michigan	Standard	1995-11-09	Valid
N2608Z	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1995-08-17	Valid
N280HR	Mussen Gary L HARMON ROCKET II	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1995-06-22	Valid
N3929C	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1995-05-06	Valid
N348RP	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Iowa	Standard	1995-02-06	Valid
N3022N	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1995-01-06	Valid
N114MG	Rockwell International 114	Fixed-wing, single engine	W F Carter Construction INC Arlington, Texas	Standard	1994-12-08	Valid
N4370T	Piper PA-32-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Snore No More Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	1994-11-02	Valid
N41AB	Bauermeister J / Krueger E R GLASAIR III AB	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner	Experimental	1994-10-05	Valid
N900WW	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1994-10-03	Valid
N12SD	O'Connell STARDUSTER SA-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Experimental	1994-09-30	Valid
N9222Q	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Good Shepherd Leasing CORP Brooksville, Florida	Standard	1994-09-29	Valid
N8123C	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Turlock Fruit Company INC Turlock, California	Standard	1994-05-31	Valid
N2391U	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1994-05-10	Valid
N43450	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New York	Standard	1994-05-05	Valid
N40EH	Hibler Phillip E GLASAIR II S TD	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1994-04-11	Valid
N8141R	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	East Coast Foundation Specialists Elkridge, Maryland	Standard	1993-12-27	Valid
N8377G	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1993-12-10	Valid
N8194K	Piper PA-32R-301	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lawair LTD Mattoon, Illinois	Standard	1993-12-07	Valid
N413	Park STEEN SKYBOLT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Experimental	1993-12-01	Valid
N900DR	Radwanski Dennis GLASAIR III	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1993-10-14	Valid
N31977	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1993-08-23	Valid
N2928X	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	1993-08-19	Valid
N3UG	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1993-08-12	Valid
N959C	Piper PA-23-250	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Vaero INC Vinton, Virginia	Standard	1993-06-09	Valid
N6896S	Piper AEROSTAR 602P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1993-05-18	Valid
N2167A	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Delaware Valley Aviation INC Langhorne, Pennsylvania	Standard	1993-03-29	Valid
N450WM	Arbuthnot Michael GLASAIR III	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Experimental	1993-02-05	Valid
N2909B	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Island Hoppers INC Glenridge, New Jersey	Standard	1992-09-28	Valid
N5647P	Maule M-6-235	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1992-08-25	Valid
N31736	Piper PA-32-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lees Sea Air Kiana, Alaska	Standard	1992-06-04	Valid
N71JM	Mcdevitt Jim PITTS S2SE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner	Experimental	1992-04-29	Valid
N1225	Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-60-601P	Fixed-wing, multi-engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1992-01-18	Valid
N6874C	Piper PA-32RT-300	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1991-10-28	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.

	reports
95	3
96	3
97	3
98	4
99	4
00	11
01	37
02	15
03	37
04	34
05	50
06	30
07	19
08	12
09	3
10	12
11	2
12	7
13	5
14	6
15	2
17	1
19	4
20	2
22	2
23	1
24	5
26	2

	reports
95	3
96	3
97	3
98	4
99	4
00	11
01	37
02	15
03	37
04	34
05	50
06	30
07	19
08	12
09	3
10	12
11	2
12	7
13	5
14	6
15	2
17	1
19	4
20	2
22	2
23	1
24	5
26	2

	reports
95	3
96	3
97	3
98	4
99	4
00	11
01	37
02	15
03	37
04	34
05	50
06	30
07	19
08	12
09	3
10	12
11	2
12	7
13	5
14	6
15	2
17	1
19	4
20	2
22	2
23	1
24	5
26	2