Ownership guide
Cirrus SR20
1,547 registered in the US, built from about 2000 to 2026, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming IO-390. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 1,547
- Built
- 2000 to 2026
- Half built by
- 2018
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming IO-390
Engines installed
- Lycoming IO-390782 aircraft (51%) · 4 ADs, 2 with a repeat action
- Continental IO-360683 aircraft (44%) · 17 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
- Lycoming IO-36035 aircraft (2%) · 29 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
11 current ADs name the SR20 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 50 more. 8 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.
- 2024-24-11Requires repetitively inspecting (visual) the upper power lever for any crack(s) and depending on the results of any visual inspection, either inspecting (fluorescent penetrant) or replacing the upper power leverPower lever · AirplaneRepeat actionDec 6, 2024
- 2008-11-18Perform an inspection and replacement as necessary of the heat exchangerCirrus Design Corporation Model SR20 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionJun 2, 2008
- 2006-21-03Check the maintenance records to determine whether the brake caliper piston O-ring seals were replaced at the last annual or 100-hour inspectionCirrus Design Corporation Models SR20 and SR22 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionOct 13, 2006
What gets reported
64 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- DC Generator-Alternator7
- Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle7
- Magneto/Distributor5
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section4
- Flight Control System4
- Engine Fuel Pump3
Parts reported most
- Exhaust pipe, excess play5
- Trim motor, defective3
- Motor, defective3
- Bolt, broken3
- Alternator, inoperative2
- Collector, defective2
The latest reports
2026-09-17 · Elevator Control System · Trim motor, defective
Elevator pitch trim motor housing attach screws are working loose and causing excessive movement of the elevator system. if uncorrected, could case flutter in the elevator surface during flight.
2026-09-03 · Elevator Tab Control System · Motor, defective
Elevator pitch trim motor housing attach screws are working loose and causing excessive movement in the elevator control system. this has been an ongoing issue will all of our 24 sr20 aircraft. cirrus has been notified of the defect (4/2/26) but has yet to take action as of this date.
2026-06-25 · Elevator Tab Control System · Trim motor, defective
Elevator pitch trim motor base attach screws (4ea) loose on mounting bracket. excessive play in this area is causing excessive play in the elevator flight control. could become a flight control flutter issue that would affect flight.
2026-06-15 · AC Generator-Alternator · Alternator, seized
Flight crew reported alternator 2 failure followed by strong burning smell in cabin. alternate airport was used with an emergency landing declared. the root cause of the problem was internal failure of alternator 2 bearing causing complete seizure of rotation. alternator 2 drive belt slipped along drive pulley causing extreme heat buildup which resulted in belt and pulley failure. burning odor
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
118 accidents since 2008, 35 fatal (71 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 25 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control in flight34
- Loss of control on ground12
- Abnormal runway contact5
- Aerodynamic stall/spin5
- Loss of engine power (total)4
- Hard landing4
Phase of flight
- Landing41
- Approach24
- Enroute20
- Maneuvering8
- Takeoff8
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-19 | Asheville, NC | Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | ERA26LA345 |
| 2026-06-11 | Wheelers mill, OH | Takeoff: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | CEN26FA222 |
| 2026-05-12 | Sedona, AZ | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | WPR26LA187 |
| 2026-04-20 | Sherman, TX | Landing: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | CEN26LA171 |
| 2026-03-10 | Redington, AZ | Enroute: Structural icing | Minor | WPR26LA126 |
| 2026-02-03 | Greater manchester, OF | Unknown: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | GAA26WA088 |
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 Cirrus SR20 with the Lycoming IO-390: 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 (3 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 dc generator-alternator and for excess play exhaust pipes: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 8 equipment ADs name the SR20 (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 Cirrus SR20s are registered in the US?
- 1,547, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cirrus SR20 built?
- From about 2000 to 2026. Half of those registered today were built by 2018.
- What engine does the Cirrus SR20 have?
- Most have the Lycoming IO-390 (51% of those registered); others have the Continental IO-360, Lycoming IO-360.
- What are common problems with the Cirrus SR20?
- In 64 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were dc generator-alternator, engine collector/tailpipe/nozzle, magneto/distributor, and the part most often reported was a excess play exhaust pipe.
- How many accidents has the Cirrus SR20 had?
- 118 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 35 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cirrus SR20 have?
- 11 current ADs name the SR20 airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 50 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.