Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140
4,154 registered in the US, built from about 1964 to 1977, 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
- 4,154
- Built
- 1964 to 1977
- Half built by
- 1968
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-320
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3204,030 aircraft (97%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
59 current ADs name the PA-28-140 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 13 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.
- 2017-14-04Engine oilAirplaneSupersedes 95-26-13Repeat actionJul 11, 2017
- 2013-02-13Requires inspections of the stabilator control system and replacement of parts as necessaryStabilizer control system · AirplaneRepeat actionFeb 4, 2013
- 2010-26-04Requires installing a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) backup battery, replacing the supplement pilot's operating handbook and FAA approved airplane flight manual, and revising the limitations section of...Engine · AirplaneRepeat actionDec 28, 2010
What gets reported
30 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section3
- Wing Spar3
- Magneto/Distributor2
- Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines2
- Emergency Locator Beacon2
- Wing, Plate/Skin2
Parts reported most
- Spar, corroded2
- Magneto, faulted1
- Throttle cable, broken1
- Magneto, out of adjust1
- Carburetor, separated1
- Seat track, corroded1
The latest reports
2026-09-07 · Magneto/Distributor · Magneto, faulted
During flight, the engine experienced a smooth partial loss of power with an rpm decrease of approx 200'400 rpm. discontinued the flight & made an emergency landing at an airport other than the acft's home airport. the magneto had approx 115 hrs of service & was configured for 25' fixed timing via the dip switches. during troubleshooting, the magneto led indicated 25' variable rather than 25' fix
2026-05-20 · Magneto/Distributor · Magneto, out of adjust
Engine was installed july 2025. time since overhaul is 100 hours. found engine damage due to left mag being advanced 15 degrees. pulled engine and shipped back to avian aeronautics for repair.
2024-10-03 · Wing Spar · Spar cap, corroded
Defect was discovered while conducting a 100hr/annual insp. r/h wing inboard lower aft spar cap has intergranular/ exfoliation corrosion. defect is approximately located at rws 30.0" and measures approx. 3.00" long, where exfoliation has occurred. aircraft is unairworthy. failure of the wing structure was eminent. ref: ad 2020-24-05, piper sb 1304b.
2024-06-06 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Exhaust valve, broken
During climb out from rigby, id, aircraft experienced partial engine power loss. post incident inspection revealed #3 cylinder exhaust valve was damaged/missing.
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
202 accidents since 2008, 41 fatal (65 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 16 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (partial)25
- Loss of control on ground23
- Loss of control in flight22
- Loss of engine power (total)18
- Fuel starvation11
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)11
Phase of flight
- Initial climb49
- Landing45
- Enroute38
- Takeoff30
- Approach18
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-21 | Junction, TX | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Serious | ANC26LA107 |
| 2026-07-05 | Salome, AZ | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | None | WPR26LA245 |
| 2026-05-15 | Chandler, AZ | Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | WPR26LA190 |
| 2026-03-21 | West valley city, UT | Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | WPR26LA132 |
| 2026-03-20 | Rock falls, IL | Unknown: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | CEN26FA141 |
| 2026-03-08 | Indian trail, NC | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | Serious | ERA26LA144 |
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-28-140 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 (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 reciprocating engine cylinder section and for corroded spars: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the PA-28-140 (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-28 family
Questions
- How many Piper PA-28-140s are registered in the US?
- 4,154, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-140 built?
- From about 1964 to 1977. Half of those registered today were built by 1968.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-140 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-320 (97% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-140?
- In 30 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, wing spar, magneto/distributor, and the part most often reported was a corroded spar.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-140 had?
- 202 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 41 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (partial). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Piper PA-28-140 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-140 airframe, 3 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.