How many Cessna 150Js are registered in the US?

642, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 150J built?

From about 1968 to 1969. Half of those registered today were built by 1969.

What engine does the Cessna 150J have?

Most have the Continental O-200 (95% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Cessna 150J?

In 1 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were elevator structure, and the part most often reported was a worn hinge.

How many accidents has the Cessna 150J had?

30 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was fuel exhaustion. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 150J have?

26 current ADs name the 150J 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 150J

642 registered in the US, built from about 1968 to 1969, 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: 642
Built: 1968 to 1969
Half built by: 1969
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental O-200

Engines installed

Continental O-200609 aircraft (95%) · 8 ADs, 0 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

26 current ADs name the 150J airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 4 more were superseded.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 150J

What gets reported

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

Systems reported most

Elevator Structure1

Parts reported most

Hinge, worn1

The latest reports

2016-02-24 · Elevator Structure · Hinge, worn
During annual inspection, 2 missing pull-type rivets were found missing on the lt otbd elevator hinge assy pn-0432165-1 along with a worn bushing, pn-0432003-1 at same location. also noted, were the 2 missing holes required to be drilled during mfg to receive these fasteners. holes were drilled through first layer of skin and not the second layer. mfg will be advising me on approval for method

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

30 accidents since 2008, 5 fatal (8 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 1 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Fuel exhaustion6
Loss of engine power (total)5
Aerodynamic stall/spin4
Loss of control on ground2
Loss of control in flight2
Part(s) separation from AC1

Phase of flight

Enroute12
Initial climb4
Approach4
Takeoff3
Maneuvering3

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2025-07-31	Soldotna, AK	Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin	Serious	ANC25LA080
2025-06-01	Elberta, AL	Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)	None	ERA25LA225
2025-02-18	Greenville, MS	Enroute: Fuel exhaustion	None	CEN25LA121
2025-02-16	Minersville, UT	Enroute: Part(s) separation from AC	None	WPR25LA096
2023-04-22	Buffalo, IA	Enroute: Fuel exhaustion	Minor	CEN23LA163
2022-12-26	South st. paul, MN	Takeoff: Loss of control on ground	None	CEN23LA069

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 150J 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 elevator structure and for worn hinges: they are what gets reported most on this model.
6 equipment ADs name the 150J (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 150H · 735 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 150Js are registered in the US?: 642, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 150J built?: From about 1968 to 1969. Half of those registered today were built by 1969.
What engine does the Cessna 150J have?: Most have the Continental O-200 (95% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Cessna 150J?: In 1 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were elevator structure, and the part most often reported was a worn hinge.
How many accidents has the Cessna 150J had?: 30 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was fuel exhaustion. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 150J have?: 26 current ADs name the 150J 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.