Ownership guide
Cessna 414A
359 registered in the US, built from about 1977 to 1985, 8 seats, most with the Continental TSIO-520. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 359
- Built
- 1977 to 1985
- Half built by
- 1979
- Seats
- 8
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental TSIO-520
Engines installed
- Continental TSIO-520302 aircraft (84%) · 45 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
28 current ADs name the 414A airframe, 6 with a repeat action; 4 more were superseded. Its engines carry 45 more. 11 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.
- 2017-10-09Requires inspecting the nacelle fittings for cracks, replacing if necessary, and reporting the results of the inspection to the FAANacelles/pylons · AirplaneRepeat actionMay 23, 2017
- 2016-17-08Elevator tab control systemAirplaneSupersedes 2016-07-24Repeat actionAug 26, 2016
- 2015-07-03Requires repetitively inspecting the engine mount beams for cracks and contacting Cessna for FAA-approved corrective action if cracks are foundNacelles/pylons · AirplaneRepeat actionApr 9, 2015
- 2005-12-13Requires repetitive eddy current inspections, visual inspections, and a spar strap modification on each wingCessna Aircraft Company Models 402C and 414A Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 2005-05-52, 79-10-15, 2000-23-01Repeat actionJun 14, 2005
- 97-26-16Requires incorporating engine mount kits that will eliminate the need for the repetitive inspection requirement of AD 85-13-03 R2Cessna Aircraft Company Models 402C and 414A Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 85-13-03 R2Repeat actionDec 19, 1997
- 95-09-13Cessna Aircraft Company Models T303, 402C, 404, 414A, and 421C AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 93-05-03Repeat actionMay 8, 1995
What gets reported
23 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Reciprocating Engine Power Section6
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section3
- Main Landing Gear Attach Section2
- Engine (Reciprocating)1
- Exhaust Turbocharger1
- Landing Gear Retraction/Extension System1
Parts reported most
- Lifter, spalled4
- Cylinder head, cracked3
- Camshaft, spalled2
- Line, corroded2
- Engine, malfunctioned1
- Manifold, fluctuates1
The latest reports
2026-06-10 · Fuselage, Wing Attach Fittings · Angle, cracked
Left hand upper angle at wing root and fuselage cracks under pressurization/depressurization with flex.
2024-09-27 · Flight Compartment Windows · Windshield, departed
Right forward windshield (cessna part number 5111604-202) blew out at altitude 16,000 during cruise/kevel flight.
2023-11-15 · Main Landing Gear Attach Section · Nut, backed out
The left main landing gear failed as a result of the nut on the left torque link bolt failed. the torque link seperated and faild to keep the wheel aligned with the aircraft. resulting in damage to aircraft.
2021-04-20 · DC Generator-Alternator · Drive shaft, sheared
Left alternator fail annunciator light illuminated. no voltage indication on left alternator. wiring terminals were intact and field voltage was present. inspection revealed the alternator drive shaft sheared separating the drive shaft from the alternator drive coupling. coupling and engine gears were undamaged. shaft showed an area of rust before the fracture line. the fracture was on the inside
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
8 accidents since 2008, 4 fatal (17 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground2
- Landing gear collapse1
- Loss of control in flight1
- Fuel contamination1
- Aerodynamic stall/spin1
Phase of flight
- Landing2
- Approach2
- Enroute1
- Takeoff1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-05 | Tampa, FL | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | ERA26LA087 |
| 2022-04-12 | Herzogenaurach | Landing: Landing gear collapse | None | GAA22WA168 |
| 2015-04-07 | Bloomington, IL | Approach: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | CEN15FA190 |
| 2014-01-23 | Ashland, MO | Enroute: Fuel contamination | None | CEN14LA120 |
| 2012-09-30 | Innsbruck | Fatal | CEN12WA664 | |
| 2012-02-19 | Hayden, CO | Approach: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | CEN12FA161 |
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
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 (6 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 power section and for spalled lifters: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 11 equipment ADs name the 414A (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 414 family
Questions
- How many Cessna 414As are registered in the US?
- 359, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 414A built?
- From about 1977 to 1985. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
- What engine does the Cessna 414A have?
- Most have the Continental TSIO-520 (84% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 414A?
- In 23 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine power section, reciprocating engine cylinder section, main landing gear attach section, and the part most often reported was a spalled lifter.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 414A had?
- 8 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 414A have?
- 28 current ADs name the 414A airframe, 6 of them with a repeat action, and 45 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.