How many Cessna A188Bs are registered in the US?

205, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna A188B built?

From about 1971 to 1981. Half of those registered today were built by 1975.

What engine does the Cessna A188B have?

Most have the Continental IO-520 (94% of those registered).

How many accidents has the Cessna A188B had?

42 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna A188B have?

12 current ADs name the A188B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 28 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna A188B

205 registered in the US, built from about 1971 to 1981, 1 seats, most with the Continental IO-520. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 205
Built: 1971 to 1981
Half built by: 1975
Seats: 1
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental IO-520

Engines installed

Continental IO-520193 aircraft (94%) · 28 ADs, 4 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

12 current ADs name the A188B airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 28 more. 5 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 A188B

Accident record

42 accidents since 2008, 4 fatal (4 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 1 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of engine power (total)7
Loss of control on ground6
Loss of control in flight5
Loss of engine power (partial)4
Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)4
Low altitude operation/event3

Phase of flight

Maneuvering20
Takeoff8
Initial climb5
Landing4
Approach2

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-07-29	Algona, IA	Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight	None	CEN26LA274
2026-05-27	Blair, NE	Approach: Loss of engine power (total)	None	CEN26LA199
2026-05-23	Doerun, GA	Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)	None	ERA26LA216
2024-07-24	Sumner, NE	Maneuvering: Low altitude operation/event	Serious	CEN24LA285
2023-08-19	Bay port, MI	Initial climb: Loss of control in flight	Minor	CEN23LA374
2023-08-11	Chillicothe, MO	Takeoff: Loss of control on ground	None	CEN23LA365

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

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.
5 equipment ADs name the A188B (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 A188 family

Cessna A188 · 21 Cessna A188A · 16

Questions

How many Cessna A188Bs are registered in the US?: 205, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna A188B built?: From about 1971 to 1981. Half of those registered today were built by 1975.
What engine does the Cessna A188B have?: Most have the Continental IO-520 (94% of those registered).
How many accidents has the Cessna A188B had?: 42 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna A188B have?: 12 current ADs name the A188B airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 28 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.