Ownership guide
Beechcraft A36 Bonanza
2,344 registered in the US, built from about 1970 to 2004, 6 seats, most with the Continental IO-520. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 2,344
- Built
- 1970 to 2004
- Half built by
- 1981
- Seats
- 6
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental IO-520
Engines installed
- Continental IO-5201,152 aircraft (49%) · 28 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
- Continental IO-550770 aircraft (33%) · 23 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
33 current ADs name the A36 airframe, 2 with a repeat action; 5 more were superseded. Its engines carry 51 more. 19 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.
- 2007-08-08Raytheon Aircraft Company (The Beech Aircraft Company and BEECH previously held Type Certificate Nos. 3A15, 3A16, 5A3, and A-777) Models 35-33, 35-A33, 35-B33, 35-C33, E33, F33, G33, 35-C33A, E33A, F33A, E33C, F33C, 35, A35, B35, C35, D35, E35, F35, G35, H35, J35, K35, M35, N35, P35, S35, V35, V35A, V35B, 36, A36, A45 (T-34A, B45), D45 (T-34B), 95-55, 95-A55, 95-B55, 95-BAirplaneSupersedes 72-22-01Repeat actionApr 20, 2007
- 2001-08-08Repetitively replace the existing Aeroquip V-band exhaust clampRaytheon Aircraft Company Beech Models 35-C33A, E33A, E33C, F33A, F33C, S35, V35, V35A, V35B, 36, and A36 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionApr 20, 2001
What gets reported
23 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine (Reciprocating)4
- Fuel Storage2
- Power Lever1
- Engine Mount Section1
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
- Passenger/Crew Doors1
Parts reported most
- Engine, power loss2
- Nut, backed out1
- Mount, chafed1
- Cap, leaking1
- Intake valve, damaged1
- Door, open1
The latest reports
2026-09-01 · Trailing Edge Flaps · Rib, cracked
Rh flap inboard nose rib cracked.
2025-10-12 · Navigation System · Solenoid, corroded
I moved the gear lever into the up position after takeoff in vfr conditions. the panel indicated a low voltage warning then the glass panel (g500, gtn 750/650, edm 900) went blank along with other electrical dash indications including the gear lights. i cycled the gear down manually and landed at kssf with no damage to the plane. a&p inspected and replaced the gpu relay, master solenoid, ground s
2025-09-24 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Intake valve, damaged
The intake valve has material missing in i locations around the perimeter of the valve head seat area, lt appears to be valve failure and not fod, (other info found on valve wfaa pma719077qitaly),
2025-06-26 · Spark Plug/Igniter · Spark plug, broken
Nr 4 egt was noted to be higher than baseline and the engine was running rough. mechanic removed the #4 plugs and found the center electrode on the bottom plug was missing. tested the plug and it did not fire. borescope of the cylinder looked ok. a new plug was put in. june 22nd 3hrs into a flight the pilot reported the engine started running rough. backing off engine power and running richer the
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
217 accidents since 2008, 73 fatal (138 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 43 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)45
- Loss of control in flight30
- Fuel starvation13
- Landing gear not configured12
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)11
- Powerplant sys/comp failure10
Phase of flight
- Enroute74
- Approach41
- Landing38
- Initial climb24
- Takeoff19
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-30 | Weston, CT | Enroute: Part(s) separation from AC | None | ERA26LA289 |
| 2026-06-30 | Paynesville, MN | Landing: Landing gear collapse | None | WPR26LA242 |
| 2026-03-23 | Olympic valley, CA | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | WPR26FA130 |
| 2026-03-08 | Gulf shores, AL | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | ERA26LA140 |
| 2026-02-11 | Murchison, TX | Landing: Collision during takeoff/land | Fatal | CEN26FA114 |
| 2026-01-08 | Sabine pass, TX | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | CEN26FA086 |
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
Filled in for a Beechcraft A36 with the Continental IO-520: a typical cruise fuel burn. 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 (2 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 engine (reciprocating) and for power loss engines: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 19 equipment ADs name the A36 (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 A36 family
Questions
- How many Beechcraft A36s are registered in the US?
- 2,344, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Beechcraft A36 built?
- From about 1970 to 2004. Half of those registered today were built by 1981.
- What engine does the Beechcraft A36 have?
- Most have the Continental IO-520 (49% of those registered); others have the Continental IO-550.
- What are common problems with the Beechcraft A36?
- In 23 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine (reciprocating), fuel storage, power lever, and the part most often reported was a power loss engine.
- How many accidents has the Beechcraft A36 had?
- 217 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 73 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Beechcraft A36 have?
- 33 current ADs name the A36 airframe, 2 of them with a repeat action, and 51 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.