Ownership guide

Piper PA-22-108

574 registered in the US, built from about 1960 to 1964, 2 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
574
Built
1960 to 1964
Half built by
1961
Seats
2
Engine type
Piston
Most common engine
Lycoming O-235

Engines installed

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

Airworthiness Directives

24 current ADs name the PA-22-108 airframe, 0 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 10 more. 11 equipment ADs name the model.

No current airframe AD mentions a repeat action.

Every AD for the Piper PA-22-108

Accident record

16 accidents since 2008, 1 fatal (1 person killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 1 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

  1. Loss of control on ground5
  2. Loss of control in flight2
  3. Part(s) separation from AC2
  4. Loss of engine power (total)2
  5. Loss of engine power (partial)1
  6. Low altitude operation/event1

Phase of flight

  1. Landing7
  2. Initial climb3
  3. Enroute3
  4. Takeoff1
  5. Maneuvering1

The latest

DateWhereWhat happenedInjuriesNTSB number
2026-06-05Westminster, MDInitial climb: Loss of control in flightNoneERA26LA240
2025-11-26Colorado springs, COLanding: Loss of control on groundNoneCEN26LA053
2025-05-23Norfolk, OFTakeoff: Part(s) separation from ACGAA25WA165
2016-09-24Pearland, TXInitial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)SeriousCEN16LA394
2016-03-06Lincolnton, NCLanding: Loss of control on groundNoneERA16CA125
2016-01-14Garden city, TXEnroute: Low altitude operation/eventFatalCEN16FA087

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

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

  1. Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
  2. For each repeat-action AD, find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
  3. 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.
  4. 11 equipment ADs name the PA-22-108 (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
  5. Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
  6. Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

The rest of the PA-22 family

Questions

How many Piper PA-22-108s are registered in the US?
574, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Piper PA-22-108 built?
From about 1960 to 1964. Half of those registered today were built by 1961.
What engine does the Piper PA-22-108 have?
Most have the Lycoming O-235 (94% of those registered).
How many accidents has the Piper PA-22-108 had?
16 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 1 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-22-108 have?
24 current ADs name the PA-22-108 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 10 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.

Piper PA-22-108 Ownership Guide: Fleet, ADs and What to Check | AerScheduler