Ownership guide
Beechcraft C90
215 registered in the US, built from about 1970 to 1996, 9 seats, most with the Pratt & Whitney PT6A. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 215
- Built
- 1970 to 1996
- Half built by
- 1979
- Seats
- 9
- Engine type
- Turboprop
- Most common engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A
Engines installed
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A140 aircraft (65%) · 24 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
- U/A CANADA PT6A SERIES28 aircraft (13%)
- U/A CANADA PT6A-27-289 aircraft (4%)
- U/A CANADA PT6 SER 578HP7 aircraft (3%)
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
38 current ADs name the C90 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 11 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.
- 2004-23-02Raytheon Aircraft Company 65, 90, 99, 100, 200, and 1900 Series Airplanes, and Models 70 and 300 AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 87-22-01 R1Repeat actionNov 9, 2004
- 2004-17-02Repetitively inspect the engine controls/cross shaft/pedestal for proper installation and torque, re-torque the cross shaft attach bolt, modify the pedestal, and replace the engine controls cross shaft hardwareRaytheon Aircraft Company 65, 90, 99, 100, 200, 300, and 1900 Series Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionAug 20, 2004
- 2002-01-10Repetitively inspect the main landing gear upper torque knees and lower torque knees for evidence of fatigue cracks; and replace any torque knee with evidence of fatigue cracksRaytheon Aircraft Company Beech Models 65-90, 65-A90, 65-A90-1, 65-A90-4, B90, C90, C90A, E90, and H-90 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionJan 22, 2002
What gets reported
45 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine (Turbine/Turboprop)7
- Landing Gear Position and Warning4
- Trailing Edge Flap Control System3
- Main Landing Gear3
- Wheel/Ski/Float2
- Air Distribution System2
Parts reported most
- Unknown, unknown3
- Bracket, chafed2
- Torque knee, cracked2
- Brake caliper, leaking2
- Wheel, cracked1
- Compressor, faulted1
The latest reports
2026-06-03 · Turbine Engine Compressor Section · Compressor, faulted
Loss of torque and rpm to the prop, currently unsure if pgb caused engine failure or if the engine failed. after spinning the compressor by hand it was noted that there was drag and a raspy sound coming from the compressor. engine will go out for shop visit to determine failure. on november 1, 2020 the engine was entered into the more stc (se000en) program but not recorded on the d101 opspecs.
2025-11-06 · Landing Gear Position and Warning · Downlock switch, faulted
Description of service difficulty: returning to our base (abq), we were on a visual approach to runway 3 in clear & calm conditions. landing gear was selected down and l gear indicator failed to illuminate and pump continued to run. i informed my crew and let albuquerque tower know i'd need vectors or a hold to trouble shoot. i went around and retracted the gear, climbed to 9000 ft and got set up
2025-09-06 · Heating System · Heater, dirty
Crew observed smoke in cabin with heater on climb-out. the pic decided to abort the flight and return to starting point. upon investigation, it was discovered that this was the first time that heater has been turned on since the spring months. lint and dust within the heater caused the burning smell. the assistant chief pilot said that this is common with all king air 90's with an electric heater.
2025-05-25 · Landing Gear Position and Warning · Safety switch, unserviceable
After taking off out of krqe, tha landing gear did not retract after bringing the landing gear handle up. i still had 3 greens. after speaking with our pilot manager on call (pmoc) and maintenance manager on call (mmoc) by sat phone i declared an emergency. prior to landing i brought the gear handle back to the down position and made a normal landing.
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
45 accidents since 2008, 20 fatal (53 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 16 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Landing gear collapse9
- Loss of control in flight7
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)4
- Fuel exhaustion3
- Runway excursion2
- Ground collision2
Phase of flight
- Landing13
- Approach10
- Enroute10
- Taxi2
- Initial climb2
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-26 | Belo horizonte, OF | Taxi: Landing gear collapse | None | GAA26WA307 |
| 2026-05-14 | Lincoln, NM | Approach: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) | Fatal | WPR26FA186 |
| 2026-02-23 | Gangnani | Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other | GAA26WA116 | |
| 2026-02-14 | Guymon, OK | Takeoff: Wildlife encounter (non-bird) | None | CEN26LA116 |
| 2025-10-12 | Fort worth, TX | Approach: Abrupt maneuver | Fatal | ERA26FA010 |
| 2025-06-20 | Nagqu city | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | GAA25WA190 |
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 (3 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 (turbine/turboprop) and for unknown unknowns: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 11 equipment ADs name the C90 (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 C90 family
Questions
- How many Beechcraft C90s are registered in the US?
- 215, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Beechcraft C90 built?
- From about 1970 to 1996. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
- What engine does the Beechcraft C90 have?
- Most have the Pratt & Whitney PT6A (65% of those registered); others have the U/A CANADA PT6A SERIES, U/A CANADA PT6A-27-28, U/A CANADA PT6 SER 578HP.
- What are common problems with the Beechcraft C90?
- In 45 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine (turbine/turboprop), landing gear position and warning, trailing edge flap control system, and the part most often reported was a unknown unknown.
- How many accidents has the Beechcraft C90 had?
- 45 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 20 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear collapse. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Beechcraft C90 have?
- 38 current ADs name the C90 airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 24 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.