Ownership guide
Cessna 550
493 registered in the US, built from about 1978 to 2006, 8 seats, most with the Pratt & Whitney JT15D. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 493
- Built
- 1978 to 2006
- Half built by
- 1991
- Seats
- 8
- Engine type
- Turbofan
- Most common engine
- Pratt & Whitney JT15D
Engines installed
- Pratt & Whitney JT15D261 aircraft (53%) · 9 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
- Pratt & Whitney 530137 aircraft (28%)
- Pratt & Whitney PW530A63 aircraft (13%) · 3 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
13 current ADs name the 550 airframe, 4 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 12 more. 13 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.
- 2015-17-12Requires inspections to determine if certain A/C compressor motors are installed and to determine the accumulated hours on certain A/C compressor motor assemblies; and repetitive replacement of the brushes in the A/C...Air conditioning · AirplaneRepeat actionAug 25, 2015
- 2013-09-11Requires inspecting to determine if certain A/C compressor motors are installed and to determine the accumulated hours on certain A/C drive motor assemblies; repetitive replacement of the brushes in the drive motor...Air conditioning · AirplaneRepeat actionMay 30, 2013
- 2006-06-03Requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to prohibit use of the wing fuel boost pumps for defueling under certain conditions; installing a placard; doing other specified investigative and corrective actions...Cessna Model 500, 501, 550, S550, 551, and 560 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionMar 16, 2006
- 2004-09-05Cessna Model 500, 501, 550, and 551 AirplanesAirplaneRepeat actionJun 15, 2004
What gets reported
62 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Windshield/Door Rain/Ice Removal8
- Turbine Engine Oil System6
- Landing Gear Brake System5
- Cabin Pressure Control System3
- Engine (Turbine/Turboprop)3
- Fuel Storage2
Parts reported most
- Defog system, shorted8
- Fuel sys, contaminated2
- Pump, failed2
- Starter gen, failed2
- Diffuser, loose2
- Nut, incorrect1
The latest reports
2026-05-12 · Windshield/Door Rain/Ice Removal · Defog system, shorted
Upon descending out of 4000ft on an extended downwind for runway 4, copilot noticed faint odor emanating from rear of cabin, and believed maybe a passenger had lit a cigarette. after turning base to final and receiving clearance for the visual approach on runway 4, aircraft was established on the localizer and were approximately 5-6 miles from runway when dense electrical smoke began from under th
2026-05-12 · Windshield/Door Rain/Ice Removal · Defog system, shorted
Upon descending out of 4000ft on an extended downwind for runway 4, copilot noticed faint odor emanating from rear of cabin, and believed maybe a passenger had lit a cigarette. after turning base to final and receiving clearance for the visual approach on runway 4, aircraft was established on the localizer and were approximately 5-6 miles from runway when dense electrical smoke began from under th
2026-05-12 · Windshield/Door Rain/Ice Removal · Defog system, shorted
Upon descending out of 4000ft on an extended downwind for runway 4, copilot noticed faint odor emanating from rear of cabin, and believed maybe a passenger had lit a cigarette. after turning base to final and receiving clearance for the visual approach on runway 4, aircraft was established on the localizer and were approximately 5-6 miles from runway when dense electrical smoke began from under th
2026-05-12 · Windshield/Door Rain/Ice Removal · Defog system, shorted
Upon descending out of 4000ft on an extended downwind for runway 4, copilot noticed faint odor emanating from rear of cabin, and believed maybe a passenger had lit a cigarette. after turning base to final and receiving clearance for the visual approach on runway 4, aircraft was established on the localizer and were approximately 5-6 miles from runway when dense electrical smoke began from under th
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
29 accidents since 2008, 7 fatal (27 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 7 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Landing area overshoot3
- Runway excursion3
- Birdstrike3
- Landing gear collapse2
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird)2
- Collision during takeoff/land2
Phase of flight
- Landing13
- Approach6
- Initial climb3
- Takeoff2
- Enroute2
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-13 | Parelhas, OF | Unknown: Unknown or undetermined | Serious | GAA26WA313 |
| 2026-04-13 | Cochabamba, OF | Unknown: Unknown or undetermined | None | GAA26WA163 |
| 2025-12-18 | Statesville, NC | Landing: Landing area undershoot | Fatal | WPR26MA063 |
| 2025-01-29 | Baruta, OF | Initial climb: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) | Fatal | GAA25WA073 |
| 2024-08-20 | Odessa, TX | Takeoff: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | Fatal | CEN24FA320 |
| 2023-07-08 | Murrieta, CA | Approach: Altitude deviation | Fatal | WPR23FA257 |
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 (4 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 windshield/door rain/ice removal and for shorted defog systems: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the 550 (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.
Questions
- How many Cessna 550s are registered in the US?
- 493, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 550 built?
- From about 1978 to 2006. Half of those registered today were built by 1991.
- What engine does the Cessna 550 have?
- Most have the Pratt & Whitney JT15D (53% of those registered); others have the Pratt & Whitney 530, Pratt & Whitney PW530A.
- What are common problems with the Cessna 550?
- In 62 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were windshield/door rain/ice removal, turbine engine oil system, landing gear brake system, and the part most often reported was a shorted defog system.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 550 had?
- 29 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing area overshoot. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 550 have?
- 13 current ADs name the 550 airframe, 4 of them with a repeat action, and 12 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.