How many Cessna TR182s are registered in the US?

459, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Cessna TR182 built?

From about 1978 to 1985. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.

What engine does the Cessna TR182 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-540 (93% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Cessna TR182?

In 7 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were landing gear door retract section, engine oil cooler, electrical connectors, and the part most often reported was a inoperative door.

How many accidents has the Cessna TR182 had?

40 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear collapse. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna TR182 have?

5 current ADs name the TR182 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 23 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Cessna TR182

459 registered in the US, built from about 1978 to 1985, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-540. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 459
Built: 1978 to 1985
Half built by: 1979
Seats: 4
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-540

Engines installed

Lycoming O-540425 aircraft (93%) · 23 ADs, 3 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

5 current ADs name the TR182 airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 23 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.

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 TR182

What gets reported

7 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.

Systems reported most

Landing Gear Door Retract Section1
Engine Oil Cooler1
Electrical Connectors1
Nose/Tail Landing Gear1
Main Landing Gear1
Reciprocating Engine Power Section1

Parts reported most

Door, inoperative1
Oil cooler, vapor lock1
Volt regulator, abnormal1
Landing gear, damaged1
Pivot assy, sheared1
Lifter, faulty1

The latest reports

2026-08-11 · Main Landing Gear · Pivot assy, sheared
Left main landing gear collapsed after landing, then rolling out 2000' at the start of a right turn onto a taxiway. when aircraft was jacked for testing, the gear would release from either the up/locked or down/locked position but would not continue to the position commanded. there appeared to be pressure because the gear would move manually, but not as easy as when not pressurized. we assumed the
2026-05-27 · Electrical Connectors · Volt regulator, abnormal
While at cruise flight multiple avionics and instrumentation failed. the pilot made an unscheduled landing at the nearest suitable airport.
2020-05-08 · Landing Gear Actuator · Bearing cap, failed
Nose landing gear collapsed on landing. nose landing gear actuator end bearing failed. failure occurred in end bearing, lower casting broke away at down lock pin retainer yoke on left and right sides of yoke allowing down lock pins to dislodge, shear and fall out.
2018-12-30 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · Lifter, faulty
At annual inspection mechanic noted that it was difficult to reach full rpm for static ground run until turbo engaged. after inspecting the engine it was found that all. 12 lifters were collapsing and rocker arm clearance was beyond limits. the engine was torn down for lifer replacement. the engine was overhauled and during ndt inspection of parts all 12 rocker arms, all 12 push rods and all lifte

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

40 accidents since 2008, 5 fatal (10 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 5 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Landing gear collapse7
Landing gear not configured7
Loss of engine power (partial)5
Loss of control in flight3
Loss of control on ground3
Hard landing3

Phase of flight

Landing22
Initial climb7
Enroute5
Approach3
Takeoff1

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-06-21	Los angeles, CA	Landing: Landing gear collapse	None	WPR26LA226
2025-08-12	San diego, CA	Landing: Landing gear collapse	None	WPR25LA266
2025-08-01	Vereda la patera, ubate, OF	Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)	Serious	GAA25WA240
2025-07-17	Tuba city, AZ	Enroute: Fuel exhaustion	Minor	WPR25LA217
2025-06-14	Modesto, CA	Landing: Landing gear not configured	None	ANC25LA054
2024-10-01	Englewood, CO	Landing: Landing gear collapse	None	CEN25LA001

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.
Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the landing gear door retract section and for inoperative doors: they are what gets reported most on this model.
11 equipment ADs name the TR182 (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 TR182s are registered in the US?: 459, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Cessna TR182 built?: From about 1978 to 1985. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
What engine does the Cessna TR182 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-540 (93% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Cessna TR182?: In 7 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were landing gear door retract section, engine oil cooler, electrical connectors, and the part most often reported was a inoperative door.
How many accidents has the Cessna TR182 had?: 40 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear collapse. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna TR182 have?: 5 current ADs name the TR182 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 23 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.