How many Cessna 170s are registered in the US?

269, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 170 built?

From about 1948 to 1957. Half of those registered today were built by 1948.

What engine does the Cessna 170 have?

Most have the Continental C145 (84% of those registered); others have the Continental O-300.

How many accidents has the Cessna 170 had?

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

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 170 have?

9 current ADs name the 170 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 9 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 170

269 registered in the US, built from about 1948 to 1957, 4 seats, most with the Continental C145. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 269
Built: 1948 to 1957
Half built by: 1948
Seats: 4
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental C145

Engines installed

Continental C145227 aircraft (84%) · 2 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Continental O-30030 aircraft (11%) · 7 ADs, 0 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

9 current ADs name the 170 airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 9 more. 17 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 170

Accident record

89 accidents since 2008, 4 fatal (9 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 6 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground40
Loss of control in flight8
Nose over/nose down5
Hard landing5
Fuel contamination5
Loss of engine power (total)4

Phase of flight

Landing43
Takeoff17
Approach13
Initial climb5
Enroute4

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-03-12	San rafael, OF	Unknown: Unknown or undetermined	None	GAA26WA132
2026-01-29	Summerdale, AL	Takeoff: Runway excursion	Minor	ERA26LA101
2025-12-27	Rio de janeiro, OF	Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight	Fatal	GAA26WA059
2025-09-01	Eustis, ME	Takeoff: Nose over/nose down	Minor	ERA25LA347
2025-08-23	Fitchburg, MA	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA25LA312
2025-04-18	Oxford, ME	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA25LA221

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

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.
17 equipment ADs name the 170 (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 170 family

Cessna 170B · 1,288 Cessna 170A · 504

Questions

How many Cessna 170s are registered in the US?: 269, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 170 built?: From about 1948 to 1957. Half of those registered today were built by 1948.
What engine does the Cessna 170 have?: Most have the Continental C145 (84% of those registered); others have the Continental O-300.
How many accidents has the Cessna 170 had?: 89 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 170 have?: 9 current ADs name the 170 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 9 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.