How many Piper PA-18-150s are registered in the US?

2,090, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Piper PA-18-150 built?

From about 1953 to 2001. Half of those registered today were built by 1970.

What engine does the Piper PA-18-150 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-320 (88% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-360.

What are common problems with the Piper PA-18-150?

In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were elevator structure, fuel control/reciprocating engines, reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a broken torque tube.

How many accidents has the Piper PA-18-150 had?

256 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 20 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-18-150 have?

14 current ADs name the PA-18-150 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 48 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub

2,090 registered in the US, built from about 1953 to 2001, 2 seats, most with the Lycoming O-320. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 2,090
Built: 1953 to 2001
Half built by: 1970
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-320

Engines installed

Lycoming O-3201,843 aircraft (88%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-360116 aircraft (6%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action

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

Airworthiness Directives

14 current ADs name the PA-18-150 airframe, 0 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 48 more. 4 equipment ADs name the model.

No current airframe AD mentions a repeat action.

Every AD for the Piper PA-18-150

What gets reported

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

Systems reported most

Elevator Structure1
Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines1
Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1

Parts reported most

Torque tube, broken1
Carburetor, misoverhauled1
Cylinder, damaged1

The latest reports

2025-11-09 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Cylinder, damaged
Original install date 8-28-2023. new cylinders removed at 434hrs by mechanic due to ring flutter, ring chatter, washboarding. inconsistent metal wear pattern on the nitride bore. discovered by borescope at 100hr inspection. manufacturer replaced cylinders with new. replacement cylinders had lycoming compression rings instead of superior. oil ring was still superior. p/n sl 36006w-a20p, s/n's 366w0
2022-09-27 · Elevator Structure · Torque tube, broken
Rh elevator torque tube cracked/severed/failed. main spar tube failed just outboard of outbound hinge attachment. found during pre-flight.
2022-09-23 · Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines · Carburetor, misoverhauled
During descent and throttle reduction into kbzn, this aircraft experienced a power loss due to a hydraulic locking of the accelerator pump in the carburetor. this was identified though subsequent testing. the throttle could be reduced and fill the accelerator pump, but the throttle could not be advanced once reduced. it is assumed that a blockage in the accelerator pump prevented fuel from escapin

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

256 accidents since 2008, 20 fatal (31 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 4 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground67
Nose over/nose down31
Loss of control in flight27
Loss of engine power (total)14
Collision during takeoff/land13
Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)11

Phase of flight

Landing116
Takeoff43
Maneuvering31
Approach18
Enroute17

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-18	Northway, AK	Initial climb: Unknown or undetermined	Fatal	ANC26FA106
2026-09-15	Roundup, MT	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	WPR26LA348
2026-09-09	Moses lake, WA	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	WPR26LA336
2026-07-07	Mekoryuk, AK	Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)	None	ANC26LA069
2026-04-22	Palmer, AK	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	ANC26LA028
2026-03-04	Sonora, TX	Initial climb: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)	None	CEN26LA134

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

Filled in for a Piper PA-18-150 with the Lycoming O-320: a typical cruise fuel burn and the engine maker's published overhaul time. 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 elevator structure and for broken torque tubes: they are what gets reported most on this model.
4 equipment ADs name the PA-18-150 (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 PA-18 family

Piper PA-18 Super Cub · 527 Piper PA-18-135 · 221 Piper PA-18-105 · 95 Piper PA-18-125 · 91

Questions

How many Piper PA-18-150s are registered in the US?: 2,090, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Piper PA-18-150 built?: From about 1953 to 2001. Half of those registered today were built by 1970.
What engine does the Piper PA-18-150 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-320 (88% of those registered); others have the Lycoming O-360.
What are common problems with the Piper PA-18-150?: In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were elevator structure, fuel control/reciprocating engines, reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a broken torque tube.
How many accidents has the Piper PA-18-150 had?: 256 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 20 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-18-150 have?: 14 current ADs name the PA-18-150 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 48 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.