How many Cessna 170Bs are registered in the US?

1,288, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 170B built?

From about 1952 to 1956. Half of those registered today were built by 1953.

What engine does the Cessna 170B have?

Most have the Continental C145 (67% of those registered); others have the Continental O-300, Lycoming O-360.

What are common problems with the Cessna 170B?

In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, magneto/distributor, control column section, and the part most often reported was a failed cylinder.

How many accidents has the Cessna 170B had?

108 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 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 170B have?

10 current ADs name the 170B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 33 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 170B

1,288 registered in the US, built from about 1952 to 1956, 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: 1,288
Built: 1952 to 1956
Half built by: 1953
Seats: 4
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental C145

Engines installed

Continental C145858 aircraft (67%) · 2 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Continental O-300317 aircraft (25%) · 7 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-36044 aircraft (3%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

10 current ADs name the 170B airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 33 more. 14 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 170B

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

Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
Magneto/Distributor1
Control Column Section1

Parts reported most

Cylinder, failed1
Points, defective1
Universal joint, separated1

The latest reports

2026-08-23 · Magneto/Distributor · Points, defective
The engine intermittently ran rough on the right mag check and would occasionally completely cut out but the egt's didn't point to any particular cylinder. the p leads and ignition switch tested good. i removed and disassembled the right mag. i found the rivet attaching the contactor on the fixed side of the points to be loose and allowing the contactor to move enough to dramatically change the e
2017-12-06 · Control Column Section · Universal joint, separated
Upon landing flare to touchdown at 0c0, the pilot experienced a complete loss of flight controls. once the wheels came into contact with the runway, the pilot was able to reach to copilot side yoke for control. there was no injuries or damage to the aircraft. subsequent inspection determined that the control universal joint separated. the unit has been sent to ntsb labs for evaluation.
2017-08-07 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Cylinder, failed
Number 3 cylinder failed. it came apart about 1 1/2 inches up from the base. cylinder was first installed on 6-9-1997 and reconditioned at 495 hours on 6/2000. it had 1686 hours since new when it failed 4/2016.

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

108 accidents since 2008, 7 fatal (10 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 4 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground63
Loss of control in flight13
Nose over/nose down5
Aerodynamic stall/spin4
System or component failure (not the engine)2
Midair collision2

Phase of flight

Landing60
Takeoff25
Initial climb7
Maneuvering6
Enroute5

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-11	Willow, AK	Takeoff: Nose over/nose down	None	ANC26LA102
2026-08-26	South lake tahoe, CA	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	WPR26LA318
2026-07-10	Hartwell, GA	Takeoff: Loss of control in flight	Minor	ERA26LA272
2026-05-28	Bethel, AK	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ANC26LA045
2026-03-27	Bessemer, AL	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA26LA152
2025-08-25	Knoxville, TN	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA25LA317

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.
Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the reciprocating engine cylinder section and for failed cylinders: they are what gets reported most on this model.
14 equipment ADs name the 170B (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 170A · 504 Cessna 170 · 269

Questions

How many Cessna 170Bs are registered in the US?: 1,288, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 170B built?: From about 1952 to 1956. Half of those registered today were built by 1953.
What engine does the Cessna 170B have?: Most have the Continental C145 (67% of those registered); others have the Continental O-300, Lycoming O-360.
What are common problems with the Cessna 170B?: In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, magneto/distributor, control column section, and the part most often reported was a failed cylinder.
How many accidents has the Cessna 170B had?: 108 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 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 170B have?: 10 current ADs name the 170B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 33 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.