Ownership guide
Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer
1,183 registered in the US, built from about 1954 to 1960, 4 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
- 1,183
- Built
- 1954 to 1960
- Half built by
- 1956
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-320
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3201,137 aircraft (96%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
24 current ADs name the PA-22-150 airframe, 0 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 12 equipment ADs name the model.
No current airframe AD mentions a repeat action.
What gets reported
2 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Main Landing Gear1
- Magneto/Distributor1
Parts reported most
- Landing gear, corroded1
- Terminal, misinstalled1
The latest reports
2020-02-02 · Magneto/Distributor · Terminal, misinstalled
While performing preflight magneto check, it was determined that the left magneto was not performing correctly. the aircraft returned to the tie down area. on disassembly of the magneto the ring terminal was found to be incorrectly crimped onto the coil wire, creating an intermittent open circuit. the coil wire was not properly stripped of insulation and the ring terminal was crimped on top of the
2017-11-08 · Main Landing Gear · Landing gear, corroded
Right landing gear rusted from inside out where forward support tube joins the axle. found when spotted a rust line. using punch and small hammer found the complete area was rusted from the inside out.
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
77 accidents since 2008, 9 fatal (12 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 3 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground31
- Loss of engine power (partial)5
- Loss of control in flight5
- Nose over/nose down5
- Loss of engine power (total)5
- Landing gear collapse3
Phase of flight
- Landing37
- Takeoff11
- Enroute8
- Initial climb6
- Approach6
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-25 | Rural retreat, VA | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | ERA26LA315 |
| 2026-08-22 | Brenham, TX | Takeoff: Loss of control on ground | Minor | CEN26LA302 |
| 2026-06-24 | Morganton, NC | Takeoff: Loss of control on ground | Serious | ERA26LA247 |
| 2026-02-28 | Oroville, CA | Unknown: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | WPR26FA109 |
| 2026-02-01 | Anchorage, AK | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial) | Serious | ANC26LA013 |
| 2025-07-28 | New underwood, SD | Maneuvering: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | Fatal | CEN25FA289 |
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 Piper PA-22-150 with the Lycoming O-320: 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 main landing gear and for corroded landing gears: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 12 equipment ADs name the PA-22-150 (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-22 family
Questions
- How many Piper PA-22-150s are registered in the US?
- 1,183, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-22-150 built?
- From about 1954 to 1960. Half of those registered today were built by 1956.
- What engine does the Piper PA-22-150 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-320 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-22-150?
- In 2 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were main landing gear, magneto/distributor, and the part most often reported was a corroded landing gear.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-22-150 had?
- 77 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 9 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-22-150 have?
- 24 current ADs name the PA-22-150 airframe, 0 of them with a repeat action, and 24 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.