Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 9, 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
N1239K	Knutson David J DK1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	2002-06-10	Valid
N9297S	Harker Edward W SKYOTE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Experimental	2002-06-07	Valid
N2450C	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2002-06-04	Valid
N5519H	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2002-05-13	Valid
N5236H	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Carter Flygare INC Sacramento, California	Standard	2002-05-09	Valid
N569NE	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mcclung Aerial Spraying INC Big Springs, Nebraska	Standard	2002-05-08	Valid
N5086Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2002-05-01	Valid
N757EV	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2002-04-27	Valid
N6204A	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Georgia	Standard	2002-04-03	Valid
N946AC	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Naples Air Center INC Naples, Florida	Standard	2002-03-18	Valid
N236MC	Christler Melvin H CURRIE-WOT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	2002-03-13	Valid
N6150L	American AA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2002-03-13	Valid
N2646M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2002-03-06	Valid
N4703Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2002-03-04	Valid
N5978L	American AA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	2002-02-28	Valid
N5144L	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Empire Aviation Oxford, North Carolina	Standard	2002-02-22	Valid
N89963	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2002-02-07	Valid
N2361M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2002-02-05	Valid
N9665S	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2002-01-22	Valid
N5543K	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Classic Aviation LLC Richmond, Michigan	Standard	2002-01-18	Valid
N57404	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Cp Aviation INC Santa Paula, California	Standard	2001-12-31	Valid
N89702	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Carter Flygare INC Sacramento, California	Standard	2001-12-26	Valid
N8883	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	2001-12-21	Valid
N3725X	Beech 77	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	2001-12-13	Valid
N23140	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2001-11-14	Valid
N3807M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2001-11-14	Valid
N4532M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2001-10-19	Valid
N5703H	Piper PA-16	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	2001-10-18	Valid
N3924M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Niles Air LLC Concord, North Carolina	Standard	2001-10-12	Valid
N4347E	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2001-10-11	Valid
N7233K	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2001-10-11	Valid
N3498M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2001-10-10	Valid
N67289	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2001-10-10	Valid
N7BZ	Boeing B75	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hartland Antique Aviation LLC Hartland, Michigan	Standard	2001-09-26	Valid
N4151M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2001-09-25	Valid
N5856Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2001-09-19	Valid
N6548L	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2001-09-13	Valid
N9280L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2001-08-29	Valid
N7779J	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2001-08-22	Valid
N84DK	Kirkpatrich Douglas S LONG-EZ	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	2001-08-17	Valid
N49952	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2001-08-09	Valid
N952GS	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2001-08-06	Valid
N4618Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2001-08-02	Valid
N4676Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2001-07-27	Valid
N6282M	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2001-07-18	Valid
N9629L	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2001-07-17	Valid
N86SA	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2001-07-11	Valid
N117CD	Dorff Charles E CHUCK DORFF SPECIAL	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Experimental	2001-07-09	Valid
N26508	Marshall VOLMER VJ-22	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Experimental	2001-06-18	Valid
N5212Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2001-06-13	Valid
N68242	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wilson Timothy J Arlington, Arizona	Standard	2001-06-11	Valid
N4432E	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2001-05-23	Valid
N64985	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2001-05-23	Valid
N39064	Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2001-05-18	Valid
N3369M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Idaho	Standard	2001-05-07	Valid
N5681Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	2001-05-02	Valid
N5918L	American AA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2001-05-02	Valid
N1972A	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2001-04-16	Valid
N34212	Bleadon Sam BREEZY	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Hawaii	Experimental	2001-04-13	Valid
N5843Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2001-04-05	Valid
N757UZ	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2001-03-22	Valid
N4458M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	2001-03-19	Valid
N53923	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2001-03-12	Valid
N973BW	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Battle Flag INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2001-03-08	Valid
N4715Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2001-02-22	Valid
N911GG	Gearhart J/Gearhart C GA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Experimental	2001-02-21	Valid
N3451M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	2001-02-16	Valid
N9205L	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2001-02-14	Valid
N91HL	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wisconsin Aviation-Four Lakes INC Madison, Wisconsin	Standard	2001-02-08	Valid
N93251	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2001-01-25	Valid
N46275	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	D Gordon Aviation INC La Jolla, California	Standard	2001-01-17	Valid
N6264L	American AA-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	2001-01-17	Valid
N7574K	Piper PA-18	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2000-12-21	Valid
N3607M	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wick Air INC Palmer, Alaska	Experimental	2000-12-19	Valid
N4086K	Jungster Ii RK2	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	2000-12-11	Valid
N532RS	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2000-12-04	Valid
N11911	Smith MINIPLANE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	2000-11-30	Valid
N7C	American Aviation AA-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2000-11-30	Valid
N6811K	Piper PA-16	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	2000-11-28	Valid
N8395V	Champion 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2000-11-16	Valid
N714ZB	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2000-10-24	Valid
N69189	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2000-10-18	Valid
N7397B	Cessna A152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aerolina INC Hendersonville, North Carolina	Standard	2000-10-12	Valid
N5489H	Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Multiple	2000-09-27	Valid
N67760	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2000-09-15	Valid
N48856	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Illinois	Standard	2000-09-12	Valid
N5517P	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Hawaii	Standard	2000-09-12	Valid
N67967	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2000-08-29	Valid
N722RW	Piper PA-12	Fixed-wing, single engine		Standard	2000-08-21	Valid
N9358T	Piper PA-38-112	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2000-08-21	Valid
N152CJ	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2000-08-07	Valid
N505SH	Bellanca 7ECA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2000-08-02	Valid
N963MS	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mount San Antonio College Walnut, California	Standard	2000-08-01	Valid
N5638H	Piper PA-16	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2000-07-27	Valid
N28151	Piper J5C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Restricted	2000-07-10	Valid
N4843B	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2000-06-27	Valid
N4739V	Davis Leeon D DA-7	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Experimental	2000-06-22	Valid
N89098	Cessna 152	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2000-06-21	Valid
N3745Z	Flint Paul L PSEUDO CUB	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Experimental	2000-06-20	Valid
N5111Z	Piper PA-22-108	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2000-06-19	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.