How many Piper PA-12s are registered in the US?

1,219, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Piper PA-12 built?

From about 1946 to 1949. Half of those registered today were built by 1947.

What engine does the Piper PA-12 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-235 (71% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-320, Lycoming O-290.

What are common problems with the Piper PA-12?

In 6 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were power lever, reciprocating engine front section, engine mount section, and the part most often reported was a separated cable.

How many accidents has the Piper PA-12 had?

118 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 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 Piper PA-12 have?

9 current ADs name the PA-12 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 39 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser

1,219 registered in the US, built from about 1946 to 1949, 3 seats, most with the Lycoming O-235. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 1,219
Built: 1946 to 1949
Half built by: 1947
Seats: 3
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-235

Engines installed

Lycoming O-235861 aircraft (71%) · 10 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-320159 aircraft (13%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-290121 aircraft (10%) · 5 ADs, 1 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

9 current ADs name the PA-12 airframe, 0 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 39 more. 11 equipment ADs name the model.

No current airframe AD mentions a repeat action.

Every AD for the Piper PA-12

What gets reported

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

Systems reported most

Power Lever1
Reciprocating Engine Front Section1
Engine Mount Section1
Aircraft Fuel System1
Elevator Tab Control System1
Main Landing Gear Attach Section1

Parts reported most

Cable, separated1
Support, cracked1
Mount, chafed1
Rotor, worn1
Control cable, low tension1
Attach bolt, broken1

The latest reports

2025-06-24 · Engine Mount Section · Mount, chafed
During the annual inspection chafing on the lower left portion of the engine mount was discovered. the chafing appeared to be caused by the drain tube mounted on it. ndt was consulted and determined the chafe to be .046" at its lowest with the nominal thickness of the mount at .050". a der was consulted and recommended a weld repair, but we opted to replace the entire mount. total time on the airf
2022-11-16 · Elevator Tab Control System · Control cable, low tension
Elevator trim control surface are not connected, there is no tension in the cables. with the elevator leading edge default position is pointed down.
2022-02-27 · Main Landing Gear Attach Section · Attach bolt, broken
Aircraft landing gear collapse kgtu febuary 27, 2022 .sat fsdo sw17 incident. aircraft damage was limited to landing gear attach bolts and the landing gear cover fairing during ground taxi prior to flight. faa iic recomended incident classification as minor damage to ntsb. aircraft was 14 cfr 141 flight school aircraft. faa iic observed removal of left main landing gear assembly . the two intact (
2019-05-13 · Power Lever · Cable, separated
(can) throttle reported loose. inspected and found throttle cable separated where sleeve crimps on the flexible shaft. (tc# 20190619001)

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, 11 fatal (19 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 3 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground36
Nose over/nose down13
Loss of control in flight9
Loss of engine power (total)8
Fuel exhaustion6
Collision during takeoff/land6

Phase of flight

Landing52
Takeoff22
Maneuvering12
Initial climb10
Enroute9

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-20	Salem, OR	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	WPR26LA350
2026-08-21	Bemidji, MN	Landing: Landing gear not configured	Minor	WPR26LA316
2026-06-23	Dixie, ID	Approach: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)	None	WPR26LA234
2026-06-21	North pole, AK	Takeoff: Loss of control on ground	None	ANC26LA059
2026-03-28	Spanaway, WA	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	WPR26LA142
2026-03-19	West linn, OR	Takeoff: Landing gear collapse	None	WPR26LA133

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, 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 power lever and for separated cables: they are what gets reported most on this model.
11 equipment ADs name the PA-12 (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 Piper PA-12s are registered in the US?: 1,219, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Piper PA-12 built?: From about 1946 to 1949. Half of those registered today were built by 1947.
What engine does the Piper PA-12 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-235 (71% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-320, Lycoming O-290.
What are common problems with the Piper PA-12?: In 6 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were power lever, reciprocating engine front section, engine mount section, and the part most often reported was a separated cable.
How many accidents has the Piper PA-12 had?: 118 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 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 Piper PA-12 have?: 9 current ADs name the PA-12 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 39 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.