Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 8, 2026

Lycoming O-235 series

6,134 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Lycoming O-235 series engine, rated at about 115 horsepower. The Cessna 152 is the model most often fitted with it (1,545 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1945 and 2025.

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 O-235 series. FAA spelling: 0-235 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Cessna 152	1,545
Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser	878
Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt	552
Piper PA-38 Tomahawk	409
Bellanca 7 Citabria	318
Champion 7 Citabria and Champ	311
Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1 Yankee and Trainer	305
Piper PA-16 Clipper	252
American Aviation AA-1	198
American AA-1	165
Piper PA-18 Super Cub	165
Beechcraft 77 Skipper	106

Cessna 152 · Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser · Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt · Piper PA-38 Tomahawk · Bellanca 7 Citabria · Champion 7 Citabria and Champ · Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1 Yankee and Trainer · Piper PA-16 Clipper · American Aviation AA-1 · American AA-1

Where they are owner's state

Texas571California547Florida484Alaska383Washington217Minnesota186North Carolina185Michigan180Oregon179New York166

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	571
California	547
Florida	484
Alaska	383
Washington	217
Minnesota	186
North Carolina	185
Michigan	180
Oregon	179
New York	166

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles6,132 (100%)Helicopters1 (0.0%)Gliders1 (0.0%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	6,132	100%
Helicopters	1	0.0%
Gliders	1	0.0%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1930	4
1940	1,107
1950	157
1960	759
1970	2,138
1980	668
1990	159
2000	72
2010	16
2020	4

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Lycoming O-235 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-223, held by Lycoming Engines). The FAA has issued 13 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 20 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 3 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 13 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

2012-03-272012-03-07 · Carburetor · engine

2004-06-252004-10-14 · Crankshaft gear · engine

All orders naming the Lycoming O-235 series

Failure reports 20 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
98	9
99	2
00	3
02	2
03	1
09	1
10	1
17	1

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Axle6Cylinder4Fork2Spark Plug2Balance Weight1Coil1Pin1Plug1Support1Tube1

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Axle	6
Cylinder	4
Fork	2
Spark Plug	2
Balance Weight	1
Coil	1
Pin	1
Plug	1
Support	1
Tube	1

Latest reports

2017-07-03Coil: failed

2010-02-12Support: misinstalled

2009-05-24Spark Plug: broken

2003-12-05Spark Plug: worn

2002-11-21Cylinder: cracked

Certificates and bulletins

E-223Type certificate held by Lycoming Engines · 43 models listed · revised January 31, 2020

Safety bulletins 4 · advice, not orders

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

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

2008-09-10NE-06-32R1 · Reciprocating Engine - Crankshaft

2005-09-30NE-05-89 ·

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 152 1,545 with this engine series
Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser 878 with this engine series
Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt 552 with this engine series
Piper PA-38 Tomahawk 409 with this engine series
Bellanca 7 Citabria 318 with this engine series
Champion 7 Citabria and Champ 311 with this engine series
Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1 Yankee and Trainer 305 with this engine series
Piper PA-16 Clipper 252 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 571 of these aircraft
California 547 of these aircraft
Florida 484 of these aircraft
Alaska 383 of these aircraft
Washington 217 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Wings Over Texas Holdings LLC 52 of these aircraft
Hillsboro Aero Academy LLC 42 of these aircraft
Sunrise Aviation INC 36 of these aircraft
Piper Aircraft INC 16 of these aircraft
Pea-Wayman Flight LLC 14 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Lycoming O-235 series 13 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Lycoming O-235 series 20 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/lycoming-o-235-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 6,134

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N4991Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2023-02-10	Valid
N11BA	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	2023-02-09	Valid
N57655	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-02-08	Valid
N5871Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2023-02-08	Valid
N9455L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2023-02-08	Valid
N5076Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-02-06	Valid
N53872	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2023-02-05	Valid
N1177G	Muessig Clifford P COUGAR G.U.D.-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Experimental	2023-02-04	Valid
N1378X	Roosma-Opila LONGEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Experimental	2023-02-04	Valid
N25062	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-02-04	Valid
N65546	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Baas Holdings LLC Lewes, Delaware	Multiple	2023-02-04	Valid
N4245M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N68526	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Vapor Global Aviation LLC Munford, Tennessee	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N80PB	Bergholtz Paul R VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Experimental	2023-02-02	Valid
N8927P	Aircraft Mfg & Development Co CH 2000	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	2023-02-02	Valid
N2457G	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Km Ed LLC Ocala, Florida	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N2923M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N3676N	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N5676Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N6497A	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-02-01	Valid
N42166	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-01-31	Valid
N4689Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2023-01-31	Valid
N7561H	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Restricted	2023-01-31	Valid
N757VA	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oklahoma	Standard	2023-01-31	Valid
N2433N	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Falcon Aerolab LLC Colorado Springs, Colorado	Standard	2023-01-29	Valid
N4418M	Taylorcraft F21B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2023-01-27	Valid
N105JC	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N2363N	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	General Aviation Support CORP Rosamond, California	Standard	2023-01-26	Reports overdue
N28144	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner New Mexico	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N3584M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N69247	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Heavy Metal Air LLC Farmingdale, New York	Standard	2023-01-26	Valid
N13RS	Shindler-Robert MEADOW LARK	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Experimental	2023-01-25	Valid
N2328C	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-01-25	Valid
N4534Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Utah	Standard	2023-01-25	Valid
N4853Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-01-25	Valid
N378AC	American Champion Aircraft 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ragwing Aviation LLC Palo Alto, California	Standard	2023-01-24	Valid
N6337L	American AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N6349L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N67924	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	N67924 LLC Somers, Connecticut	Standard	2023-01-23	Valid
N931SC	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Activeair LLC Erie, Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-01-22	Valid
N9215L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2023-01-21	Valid
N6847K	Piper PA-16	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	2023-01-20	Valid
N46854	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N4713Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N757FC	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N86591	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Nevada	Standard	2023-01-19	Valid
N2317B	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cylinder Optics INC Garden City, Missouri	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N317DF	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-17	Valid
N68165	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-16	Valid
N25807	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2023-01-15	Valid
N41800	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Multiple	2023-01-15	Valid
N1411R	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N2330D	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N48883	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fly Kful INC Fullerton, California	Standard	2023-01-14	Valid
N72418	Robert B. Barker LESA BAIR T. C. 1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Experimental	2023-01-13	Valid
N46748	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2023-01-12	Valid
N4674Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2023-01-12	Valid
N2410T	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-01-11	Valid
N2422P	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	2023-01-11	Valid
N5964L	American AA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2023-01-09	Valid
N2498D	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2023-01-07	Valid
N1996X	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2023-01-06	Valid
N3088M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-06	Valid
N3591M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2023-01-06	Valid
N3KE	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2023-01-06	Valid
N8966L	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-01-06	Valid
N1628G	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2023-01-05	Valid
N5606L	American AA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2023-01-05	Valid
N5704Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2023-01-05	Valid
N78480	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2023-01-04	Valid
N2563M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2023-01-02	Valid
N26045	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2023-01-02	Valid
N5058K	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Winemiller Stevie D Swifton, Arkansas	Standard	2023-01-02	Valid
N94118	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Unique Educational Experiences Long Beach, California	Standard	2023-01-02	Valid
N2162	Stits Skycoupe SA7D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	2023-01-01	Valid
N6358L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2022-12-31	Valid
N5065N	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	West Valley Flying Club Palo Alto, California	Standard	2022-12-27	Valid
N4917Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gibsons Gas INC Holland, New York	Standard	2022-12-26	Valid
N5185Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2022-12-26	Valid
N567KS	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	King Sky Flight Academy LLC Lakeland, Florida	Standard	2022-12-26	Valid
N78704	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2022-12-24	Valid
N9953U	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	2022-12-23	Valid
N9049L	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2022-12-22	Valid
N112R	Stewart Dan H MURPHY REBEL	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	2022-12-21	Valid
N17KA	Aircraft Mfg & Development Co CH 2000	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2022-12-20	Valid
N5723H	Piper PA-16	Fixed-wing, single engine	Valiair Lc Trustee Casper, Wyoming	Standard	2022-12-20	Valid
N5121T	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	2022-12-17	Valid
N5162T	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Advanced Insulation Enterprises LLC Calhoun, Louisiana	Standard	2022-12-16	Valid
N102EL	Lund Everett L CAVALIER SA102.5	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	2022-12-15	Valid
N2605D	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Realty Investment CO LTD Hilo, Hawaii	Standard	2022-12-15	Valid
N3875M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Sky Ad INC Greenwich, Connecticut	Standard	2022-12-15	Valid
N5380Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2022-12-15	Valid
N2387M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2022-12-14	Valid
N2398N	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wolf Aerospace CORP Ontario, California	Standard	2022-12-14	Valid
N5194Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arkansas	Standard	2022-12-14	Valid
N5335Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2022-12-14	Valid
N6969W	Piper PA-28-140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2022-12-13	Valid
N9120L	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2022-12-13	Valid
N3281R	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2022-12-12	Valid
N67888	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Flight Directors LLC Fifield, Wisconsin	Standard	2022-12-12	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.