How many Cessna 177Bs are registered in the US?

833, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna 177B built?

From about 1969 to 1978. Half of those registered today were built by 1974.

What engine does the Cessna 177B have?

Most have the Lycoming O-360 (94% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Cessna 177B?

In 2 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were wing spar, aileron control system, and the part most often reported was a corroded spar.

How many accidents has the Cessna 177B had?

43 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 8 of them fatal. The most common defining event was abnormal runway contact. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 177B have?

26 current ADs name the 177B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 24 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna 177B Cardinal

833 registered in the US, built from about 1969 to 1978, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 833
Built: 1969 to 1978
Half built by: 1974
Seats: 4
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-360

Engines installed

Lycoming O-360780 aircraft (94%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

26 current ADs name the 177B airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 9 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 177B

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

Wing Spar1
Aileron Control System1

Parts reported most

Spar, corroded1
Aileron, restricted1

The latest reports

2023-01-12 · Aileron Control System · Aileron, restricted
Installation of trutrak autopilot stc'd roll servo limited aileron travel. the servo arm is connected to the right aileron bellcrank via a rod. the servo arm contacted a servo bracket in the aft direction and the bolt attaching the rod to the arm contacted the servo mount in the forward direction. during a flight control rigging check it was discovered that this contact limited the aileron bellc
2019-07-19 · Wing Spar · Spar, corroded
(can) during inspection of lower spar carry thru for corrosion, several (5) small spots of corrosion found on upper surface of the lower forward spar flange. size of corrosion varried from 5 mm to 10 mm.appears to be surface only. textron cessna contacted and advised. they provided recommended procedure for removing corrosion and treating if depth is less than .005`. this will be determined by ndt

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

43 accidents since 2008, 8 fatal (14 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 5 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Abnormal runway contact5
Fuel exhaustion4
Loss of control on ground4
Loss of control in flight4
Loss of engine power (total)3
Loss of engine power (partial)3

Phase of flight

Landing15
Approach6
Enroute6
Takeoff5
Maneuvering4

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-08-05	Perris, CA	Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)	None	WPR26LA291
2026-02-22	Rocky junction, AZ	Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)	Minor	ANC26LA016
2025-06-24	Calera, AL	Landing: Abnormal runway contact	None	ERA25LA244
2025-05-31	Columbus, MS	Approach: Fuel exhaustion	Minor	CEN25LA193
2024-10-13	Creswell, OR	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	WPR25LA017
2024-09-22	Redlands, CA	Landing: Hard landing	Minor	WPR24LA310

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 177B with the Lycoming O-360: 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 wing spar and for corroded spars: they are what gets reported most on this model.
9 equipment ADs name the 177B (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 177RG Cardinal RG · 783 Cessna 177 Cardinal · 435 Cessna 177A Cardinal · 79

Questions

How many Cessna 177Bs are registered in the US?: 833, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna 177B built?: From about 1969 to 1978. Half of those registered today were built by 1974.
What engine does the Cessna 177B have?: Most have the Lycoming O-360 (94% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Cessna 177B?: In 2 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were wing spar, aileron control system, and the part most often reported was a corroded spar.
How many accidents has the Cessna 177B had?: 43 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 8 of them fatal. The most common defining event was abnormal runway contact. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 177B have?: 26 current ADs name the 177B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 24 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.