Ownership guide
Beechcraft 400A
298 registered in the US, built from about 1990 to 2010, 10 seats, most with the Pratt & Whitney JT15D. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 298
- Built
- 1990 to 2010
- Half built by
- 2000
- Seats
- 10
- Engine type
- Turbofan
- Most common engine
- Pratt & Whitney JT15D
Engines installed
- Pratt & Whitney JT15D206 aircraft (69%) · 9 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
- Williams FJ4426 aircraft (9%) · 3 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
78 current ADs name the 400A airframe, 4 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 12 more. 9 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2014-21-06Requires an inspection to determine if PTAs having a certain serial number and part number are installed, and replacement if they are installedFlight controls · AirplaneRepeat actionOct 23, 2014
- 2014-15-15Requires repetitive inspections of the horizontal stabilizer rib assemblies for cracking, and replacement if necessaryTextron Aviation Inc. Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionAug 1, 2014
- 2002-01-23Raytheon Model Beech 400, 400A, and 400T Series Airplanes; Model Beech MU-300-10 Airplanes; and Model Mitsubishi MU-300 AirplanesAirplaneRepeat actionJan 30, 2002
- 2001-03-06Requires repetitive inspections of the bleed air supply tube assemblies for discrepancies; and replacement of the bleed air tube assembly with a new bleed air tube assembly, if necessaryRaytheon (Beech) Model MU-300, MU-300-10, 400, and 400A Series Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionFeb 15, 2001
What gets reported
220 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Landing Gear Brake System15
- Cabin Pressure Control System9
- Trailing Edge Flap Control System8
- Starter-Generator8
- Engine Thrust Reverser7
- Landing Gear Position and Warning7
Parts reported most
- Unknown, unknown11
- Warning light, illuminated4
- None, none4
- Starter gen, failed4
- Controller, failed3
- Seal, leaking3
The latest reports
2026-08-07 · Tire · Tire, blown
Acft blew the left main tire while taxiing to the hangar after landing. aircraft landed with no issues. aircraft was able to taxi off the runway and started to head towards the hangar. it taxied about 300 yards on taxiway h before it turn off onto taxiway e. while it was on e it was noticed that the left side started to lower. that is when crew stopped and advise tower and stepped off the aircraft
2026-06-04 · Hydraulic System, Main · Control valve, sticking
On take off the aircraft was climing and the crew heard a poppping noise and the cabin began to drop, so the turned around went back to the airport. they notifed maintenance , performed some engine runs and the aircraft pressurized on the ground , aircraft returned to kpwa without a incident.
2026-03-14 · Pneumatic Distribution System · Line, ruptured
Bleed air duct fail annuciator illuminated during climb. crew returned to the airport. mx unable to find leak on the ground during runs. another flight to confirm condition. annuciator illuminated again during climb. crew returned to the airport. mx found bleed line rupture inside the acm box. replacement line installed.
2026-02-16 · Landing Gear Position and Warning · Bulb, inoperative
During approach, after extending the landing gear, the right landing gear safe light did not illuminate. emergency declared. upon inspection of rt lg safe light found light bulb to be burned out. removed and replaced the rt lg safe light bulb with pn 327 from fak iaw amm 33-11-00. ops checked good.
From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.
Accident record
8 accidents since 2012, 0 fatal, 0 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Runway excursion3
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other1
- System or component failure (not the engine)1
- Birdstrike1
- Part(s) separation from AC1
- Miscellaneous/other1
Phase of flight
- Landing5
- Initial climb1
- Enroute1
- Approach1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-27 | Newark, NJ | Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other | None | ERA26LA320 |
| 2023-11-30 | Atlanta, GA | Landing: System or component failure (not the engine) | None | ERA24LA056 |
| 2022-07-15 | Brunswick, GA | Initial climb: Birdstrike | None | ERA22LA325 |
| 2021-09-14 | Charleston, SC | Enroute: Part(s) separation from AC | None | ERA21LA379 |
| 2020-11-01 | Fernandina beach, FL | Landing: Runway excursion | Minor | ERA21LA036 |
| 2018-02-05 | Cleveland, OH | Landing: Runway excursion | None | CEN18LA094 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (4 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the landing gear brake system and for unknown unknowns: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 9 equipment ADs name the 400A (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
The rest of the 400 family
Questions
- How many Beechcraft 400As are registered in the US?
- 298, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Beechcraft 400A built?
- From about 1990 to 2010. Half of those registered today were built by 2000.
- What engine does the Beechcraft 400A have?
- Most have the Pratt & Whitney JT15D (69% of those registered); others have the Williams FJ44.
- What are common problems with the Beechcraft 400A?
- In 220 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were landing gear brake system, cabin pressure control system, trailing edge flap control system, and the part most often reported was a unknown unknown.
- How many accidents has the Beechcraft 400A had?
- 8 in the NTSB's database since 2012, 0 of them fatal. The most common defining event was runway excursion. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Beechcraft 400A have?
- 78 current ADs name the 400A airframe, 4 of them with a repeat action, and 12 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.