How many Cessna 150Hs are registered in the US?

735, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 150H built?

From about 1967 to 1968. Half of those registered today were built by 1968.

What engine does the Cessna 150H have?

Most have the Continental O-200 (97% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Cessna 150H?

In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were horizontal stabilizer miscellaneous structure, magneto/distributor, reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a cracked bracket.

How many accidents has the Cessna 150H had?

29 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 150H have?

27 current ADs name the 150H airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 8 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 150H

735 registered in the US, built from about 1967 to 1968, 2 seats, most with the Continental O-200. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 735
Built: 1967 to 1968
Half built by: 1968
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental O-200

Engines installed

Continental O-200716 aircraft (97%) · 8 ADs, 0 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

27 current ADs name the 150H airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 4 more were superseded. Its engines carry 8 more. 6 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.

2011-10-09Requires retaining all of the actions from the previous AD and adding steps to the inspection procedures in the previous ADStandard practices structures · AirplaneSupersedes 87-20-03 R2Repeat actionMay 13, 2011

Every AD for the Cessna 150H

What gets reported

3 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.

Systems reported most

Horizontal Stabilizer Miscellaneous Structure1
Magneto/Distributor1
Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1

Parts reported most

Bracket, cracked1
Magneto, defective1
Exhaust valve, stuck1

The latest reports

2025-04-12 · Magneto/Distributor · Magneto, defective
Large mag drop on runup that was significant enough to almost shut down the engine. magneto had 568.9 hours since installation on the engine, and was installed 10 months ago.
2022-11-23 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Exhaust valve, stuck
Engine rough running during take off run up. compression test found #4 cylinder low. removed cylinder found exhaust valve stuck open. removed valve, cleaned guide of carbon buildup, re-assembled, re-installed, operates satisfactory.
2016-08-31 · Horizontal Stabilizer Miscellaneous Structure · Bracket, cracked
During the inspection of ad80-11-04-mfg inspection of vertical and horizontal stabilizer nut plates, para a, mfg pn 0432004-9, parts manual, p438-12 rand-400-3-72 dated 15 january 1970, fig 9, item 6, pn 0432004-1. during inspection, the nutplates were intact, however the bracket they are attached to had a crack next to the weld on the inside upper bracket box tabs, not the tabs for attaching 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

29 accidents since 2008, 4 fatal (8 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control in flight5
Loss of control on ground4
Loss of engine power (total)4
Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)3
Loss of engine power (partial)3
Aerodynamic stall/spin2

Phase of flight

Landing9
Initial climb5
Approach4
Takeoff4
Maneuvering2

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-04-21	Espaã±ola, NM	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	WPR26LA168
2024-08-31	Tok, AK	Maneuvering: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)	Serious	ANC24LA086
2023-03-27	Mattituck, NY	Landing: Loss of control in flight	None	ERA23LA169
2023-01-12	Auburn, NE	Approach: Loss of control in flight	Fatal	CEN23FA077
2022-08-24	Vacaville, CA	Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp failure	Minor	WPR22LA316
2022-08-07	Ellenville, NY	Landing: Hard landing	Minor	ERA22LA363

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

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

Fuel: $0/hr
Engine reserve: $0/hr
A year: $0
All in, per hour: $0/hr

Filled in for a Cessna 150H with the Continental O-200: a typical cruise fuel burn and the engine maker's published overhaul time. 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 (1 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 horizontal stabilizer miscellaneous structure and for cracked brackets: they are what gets reported most on this model.
6 equipment ADs name the 150H (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 150 family

Cessna 150L · 1,418 Cessna 150M · 1,408 Cessna 150F · 1,035 Cessna 150G · 953 Cessna 150J · 642 Cessna 150 · 373 Cessna 150K · 300 Cessna 150E · 293 Cessna 150D · 257 Cessna 150C · 163 Cessna 150A · 121 Cessna 150B · 110

Questions

How many Cessna 150Hs are registered in the US?: 735, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 150H built?: From about 1967 to 1968. Half of those registered today were built by 1968.
What engine does the Cessna 150H have?: Most have the Continental O-200 (97% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Cessna 150H?: In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were horizontal stabilizer miscellaneous structure, magneto/distributor, reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a cracked bracket.
How many accidents has the Cessna 150H had?: 29 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 150H have?: 27 current ADs name the 150H airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 8 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.