How many Cessna 152s are registered in the US?

1,616, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 152 built?

From about 1977 to 1985. Half of those registered today were built by 1978.

What engine does the Cessna 152 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-235 (96% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Cessna 152?

In 56 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, magneto/distributor, engine starter, and the part most often reported was a worn plug.

How many accidents has the Cessna 152 had?

290 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 45 of them fatal. The most common defining event was hard landing. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 152 have?

14 current ADs name the 152 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 152

1,616 registered in the US, built from about 1977 to 1985, 2 seats, most with the Lycoming O-235. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 1,616
Built: 1977 to 1985
Half built by: 1978
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-235

Engines installed

Lycoming O-2351,546 aircraft (96%) · 10 ADs, 1 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

14 current ADs name the 152 airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 10 more. 8 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 152

What gets reported

56 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 Section16
Magneto/Distributor7
Engine Starter5
Engine (Reciprocating)4
Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines4
Reciprocating Engine Power Section3

Parts reported most

Plug, worn9
Starter, damaged4
Ignition lead, damaged2
Engine, fire1
Piston, burned out1
Carburetor, malfunctioned1

The latest reports

2026-09-30 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Cylinder head, rotated
During a routine annual inspection cylinder #3 had oil leaking and a damaged seal on the exhaust push rod tube. while performing the work to replace the seal, the technician found it difficult to get the tube seated properly. upon further inspection it appeared that the cylinder head had rotated on the barrel and was no longer in the proper position.
2026-04-26 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Tappet, separated
While performing maintenance on the nr 3 cylinder one of the valve tappet bodies separated.
2026-04-23 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · Plug, worn
While complying with lycoming sb667a, one wrist pin plug on cylinder #2 was found excessively worn with a hole in the center of the plug
2026-01-28 · Ignition Harness (Distribution) · Ignition lead, damaged
A bad magneto drop was experienced during the ground run of the aircraft. upon inspection it was found that the rh ignition harness lower #3 lead was dead.

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

290 accidents since 2008, 45 fatal (64 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 28 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Hard landing36
Loss of engine power (total)36
Loss of control on ground32
Loss of control in flight28
Abnormal runway contact28
Loss of engine power (partial)18

Phase of flight

Landing107
Enroute49
Approach33
Takeoff25
Initial climb22

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-29	Bolingbrook, IL	Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)		CEN26LA330
2026-09-10	Mapitac, OF	Unknown: Unknown or undetermined	None	GAA26WA308
2026-09-04	Carlsbad, CA	Landing: Hard landing	None	WPR26LA332
2026-08-25	Ratmalana, OF	Unknown: Unknown or undetermined	None	GAA26WA296
2026-07-20	Pell city, AL	Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)	None	ANC26LA075
2026-06-16	Murphysboro, IL	Landing: Hard landing	None	CEN26LA229

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 152 with the Lycoming O-235: 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 worn plugs: they are what gets reported most on this model.
8 equipment ADs name the 152 (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.

Questions

How many Cessna 152s are registered in the US?: 1,616, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 152 built?: From about 1977 to 1985. Half of those registered today were built by 1978.
What engine does the Cessna 152 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-235 (96% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Cessna 152?: In 56 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, magneto/distributor, engine starter, and the part most often reported was a worn plug.
How many accidents has the Cessna 152 had?: 290 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 45 of them fatal. The most common defining event was hard landing. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 152 have?: 14 current ADs name the 152 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 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.