Ownership guide
Cessna 150M
1,408 registered in the US, built from about 1974 to 1977, 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
- 1,408
- Built
- 1974 to 1977
- Half built by
- 1975
- Seats
- 2
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental O-200
Engines installed
- Continental O-2001,378 aircraft (98%) · 8 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
24 current ADs name the 150M airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 4 more were superseded.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.
What gets reported
11 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section5
- Propeller Spinner Section1
- Elevator Control System1
- Rudder, Plate/Skin1
- Rudder Control System1
- Fuel Quantity Indicator1
Parts reported most
- Cylinder head, separated2
- Plate, cracked1
- None, detached1
- Skin, damaged1
- Fairlead, misinstalled1
- Transmitter, failed1
The latest reports
2025-10-11 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Cylinder, fractured
Afer taking on fuel at baf, the aircraft departed for 47n. while climbing out through 2500 msl, the aircraft engine suffered catastrophic failure of cylinder number 4. the upper section of the cylinder barrel seperated from the lower section approximately four inches above the cylinder flange.
2024-04-04 · Vacuum System · Pump, contaminated
Over last 12 years and 500 hours operating time n1975t has experienced 5 failures of the pump pn rap215cc-9. in each case except last installation a properly licensed faa tech failed to follow rapco installation instructions included with pump. this lead to premature pump failures due to oil ingestion through pump drive shaft seal. last mechanic showed me seal was slightly bent due to inc
2022-07-20 · Elevator Control System · None, detached
Outboard elevator hinge on right elevator missing. appeared to have been cut off most likely during improper repair about 20 years ago. .
2020-11-16 · Rudder, Plate/Skin · Skin, damaged
During annual inspection it was noted that the left side upper rudder hinge area showed signs of damage and the right hand side showed signs of cracking. rudder was removed from aircraft for closer detailed inspection. b inspection revealed more damage to primary structure p/n 0433010-6 (skin) with two cracks emanating from both sides of the lightning hole extending outwards to the surface skin.
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
66 accidents since 2008, 13 fatal (22 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 3 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control in flight10
- Loss of engine power (total)10
- Loss of engine power (partial)10
- Fuel exhaustion8
- Loss of control on ground5
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)3
Phase of flight
- Enroute15
- Initial climb12
- Approach11
- Takeoff9
- Maneuvering8
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-22 | Greenwood, IL | Takeoff: Loss of control in flight | None | CEN26LA299 |
| 2026-07-25 | Ferris, TX | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | CEN26LA284 |
| 2026-02-06 | San salvador | Unknown: Loss of engine power (total) | None | GAA26WA096 |
| 2025-09-21 | Municipio de garcia, OF | Initial climb: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | GAA25WA264 |
| 2025-06-06 | Phoenix, AZ | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | WPR25LA170 |
| 2025-03-21 | Northhampton, OF | Other: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | Fatal | GAA25WA139 |
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 Cessna 150M 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 reciprocating engine cylinder section and for separated cylinder heads: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 6 equipment ADs name the 150M (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
Questions
- How many Cessna 150Ms are registered in the US?
- 1,408, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 150M built?
- From about 1974 to 1977. Half of those registered today were built by 1975.
- What engine does the Cessna 150M have?
- Most have the Continental O-200 (98% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 150M?
- In 11 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, propeller spinner section, elevator control system, and the part most often reported was a separated cylinder head.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 150M had?
- 66 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 13 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 150M have?
- 24 current ADs name the 150M 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.