Ownership guide
Cessna 182P Skylane
2,070 registered in the US, built from about 1971 to 1976, 4 seats, most with the Continental O-470. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 2,070
- Built
- 1971 to 1976
- Half built by
- 1974
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental O-470
Engines installed
- Continental O-4701,995 aircraft (96%) · 20 ADs, 2 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
33 current ADs name the 182P airframe, 2 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 20 more. 12 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.
- 2020-21-22Requires inspecting the tailcone and horizontal stabilizer for corrosion and cracks and repairing or replacing damaged parts as necessaryFuselage · AirplaneRepeat actionNov 2, 2020
- 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
What gets reported
11 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine Air Intake System2
- Fuel Storage1
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
- Fuselage, Seat/Cargo Attach Fittings1
- Trailing Edge Flaps1
- Emergency Locator Beacon1
Parts reported most
- Fuel cell, leaking1
- Rocker boss, broken1
- Seat track, deformed1
- Seal, unsecure1
- Rivet, failed1
- Flap, unknown1
The latest reports
2026-10-05 · Flight Control System · Arm, backed out
Noted unusual feel in elevator control during insp. problem determined to be a heavy rub of the torque tube used by the pitch servo and the lower elevator primary control cable. the pitch servo control arm was found to have all four screws that secure it to the servo backed out and loose that allowed excessive play in the torque tube and arm.
2026-09-15 · DC Generator-Alternator · Bolt, unsecure
During an annual inspection the alternator was found to be loose but still wedged in the mount, and the fan blades rubbing on the engine/alternator mount. the alternator mounting bolt was found in the lower cowling, the nut and washer were not found. it is believed that the nut vibrated loosed during operation, allowing the bolt to work its way free. the alternator and the mount were both damag
2025-05-16 · Engine Air Intake System · Rivet, failed
Carb airbox butterfly valve attachment to actuating shaft failed by poorly shot rivet pulling through the bracket hole on right side. left side rivet is loose as well but had not failed at the time of discovery. valve was hanging down away from the shaft. owner reported there was a time when carb heat actuation was extremely stiff but later got easier again. (no investigation at that time). this i
2023-10-24 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Rocker boss, broken
Pilot reported that approx. an hour into flight at 3500 feet and 30 degrees and on autopilot, experienced severe engine vibration and reduced power. pilot reduced power to around 1700-1800 rpm in effort to decrease vibration. ultimately made emergency landing into a soybean field. post accident engine inspection performed by faa and ntsb revealed that the #6 cylinder, exhaust rocker boss was br
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
76 accidents since 2008, 11 fatal (21 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 9 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground11
- Loss of control in flight10
- Hard landing9
- Loss of engine power (total)9
- Collision during takeoff/land4
- Fuel exhaustion4
Phase of flight
- Landing28
- Enroute20
- Approach8
- Takeoff6
- Initial climb6
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-20 | Warren, ID | Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land | Serious | WPR26LA353 |
| 2026-05-20 | Northport, MI | Taxi: Miscellaneous/other | None | CEN26LA216 |
| 2026-05-11 | Bennett, CO | Landing: Hard landing | Minor | CEN26LA183 |
| 2025-11-03 | San andreas, CA | Takeoff: Loss of control on ground | Serious | WPR26LA038 |
| 2025-07-28 | Bolivar, MO | Taxi: System or component failure (not the engine) | None | CEN25LA295 |
| 2025-06-13 | Hyampom, CA | Approach: Fuel related | None | WPR25LA175 |
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
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Filled in for a Cessna 182P with the Continental O-470: a typical cruise fuel burn. 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 (2 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 air intake system and for leaking fuel cells: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 12 equipment ADs name the 182P (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 182 family
Questions
- How many Cessna 182Ps are registered in the US?
- 2,070, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 182P built?
- From about 1971 to 1976. Half of those registered today were built by 1974.
- What engine does the Cessna 182P have?
- Most have the Continental O-470 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 182P?
- In 11 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine air intake system, fuel storage, reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a leaking fuel cell.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 182P had?
- 76 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 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 182P have?
- 33 current ADs name the 182P airframe, 2 of them with a repeat action, and 20 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.