How many Cessna 177s are registered in the US?

435, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 177 built?

From about 1967 to 1968. Half of those registered today were built by 1967.

What engine does the Cessna 177 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-320 (90% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-360.

What are common problems with the Cessna 177?

In 2 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine oil cooler, aileron control system, and the part most often reported was a leaking oil cooler.

How many accidents has the Cessna 177 had?

86 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 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 177 have?

22 current ADs name the 177 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 48 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 177 Cardinal

435 registered in the US, built from about 1967 to 1968, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-320. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 435
Built: 1967 to 1968
Half built by: 1967
Seats: 4
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-320

Engines installed

Lycoming O-320390 aircraft (90%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-36034 aircraft (8%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

22 current ADs name the 177 airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 48 more. 10 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 177

What gets reported

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

Systems reported most

Engine Oil Cooler1
Aileron Control System1

Parts reported most

Oil cooler, leaking1
Bellcrank, worn1

The latest reports

2018-05-30 · Engine Oil Cooler · Oil cooler, leaking
Sometime after engine start new oil cooler with only 8 hours of use developed leak that resulted in engine stoppage approximately 2 minutes into flight. the result was an emergency descent and off airport landing. according to mechanics because oil cooler is "downstream" of oil pressure gauge there were no warning indications on instruments.
2016-04-13 · Aileron Control System · Bellcrank, worn
The rt and lt wing aileron belcrank clevis bolts, 2, an23-9, and, 2, an23-10 were found to be worn, not excessive or unsafe, but definitely worth replacing. 1 of the original bolts appeared to have a mfg defect. these are the clevis bolts that attach the aileron cables to the belcranks. there are no bushings, the clevis bolt is the bearing surface. they are easily replaced without disturbing t

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

86 accidents since 2008, 11 fatal (18 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 9 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Fuel exhaustion15
Loss of control on ground12
Loss of control in flight10
Hard landing7
Loss of engine power (total)6
Loss of engine power (partial)5

Phase of flight

Landing27
Enroute22
Initial climb11
Approach9
Takeoff7

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-06-09	Gilford, NH	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA26LA233
2026-05-28	Cascade, ID	Approach: Collision during takeoff/land	Serious	WPR26LA206
2026-03-15	Cottonwood, AZ	Landing: Abnormal runway contact	None	WPR26LA128
2026-01-13	Ocoee, TN	Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)	Minor	ERA26LA093
2025-10-16	Cynthiana, KY	Enroute: Fuel exhaustion	Serious	ERA26LA018
2025-07-08	Jenison, MI	Takeoff: Loss of control in flight	Minor	CEN25LA241

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 177 with the Lycoming O-320: 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 engine oil cooler and for leaking oil coolers: they are what gets reported most on this model.
10 equipment ADs name the 177 (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 177 family

Cessna 177B Cardinal · 833 Cessna 177RG Cardinal RG · 783 Cessna 177A Cardinal · 79

Questions

How many Cessna 177s are registered in the US?: 435, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 177 built?: From about 1967 to 1968. Half of those registered today were built by 1967.
What engine does the Cessna 177 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-320 (90% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-360.
What are common problems with the Cessna 177?: In 2 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine oil cooler, aileron control system, and the part most often reported was a leaking oil cooler.
How many accidents has the Cessna 177 had?: 86 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 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 177 have?: 22 current ADs name the 177 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 48 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.