Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-151 Warrior
942 registered in the US, built from about 1973 to 1976, 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
- 942
- Built
- 1973 to 1976
- Half built by
- 1974
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-320
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-320890 aircraft (94%) · 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59 current ADs name the PA-28-151 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded.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
9 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines1
- Fuselage Miscellaneous Structure1
- Tire Tube1
- Elevator Control System1
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
- Control Column Section1
Parts reported most
- Carburetor, jammed1
- Bracket, cracked1
- Tube, failed1
- Control cable, broken1
- Valve, failed insp1
- Bolt, worn1
The latest reports
2026-05-21 · Control Column Section · Bolt, worn
While complying with ad 13-02-13 by replacing cable p/n 62701-113. bolt (piper p/n 400-056) an3-11 at the lower end of control column tee bar was found to be worn badly. wear rings were measured to be 20% of the bolt diameter. bolt was replaced with new hardware.
2025-10-29 · Elevator Control System · Control cable, broken
Elevator control cable separated at the turnbuckle during takeoff roll; the takeoff was aborted when a (noise) bang was heard and the aircraft nose dropped. the cable attachment broke as it entered the turnbuckle and was only held together by the safety wire. there is currently an ad on inspecting the cables and turnbuckles for corrosion, however work was performed in the tail at last annual and a
2025-09-25 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Valve, failed insp
During routine 100 hr inspection found compression to be 40/80 on cylinder #4 and inspected further. found that valve was not seating properly. valve seat was bell mouthed, valve pushes in an out on a curve rather than straight, worn only on one side. improper seal was allowing blow by and causing low compressions. time soh on engine is 385.6 and total time is12,634.5. engine ordered from west
2022-10-05 · Propeller System · Propeller, damaged
During the climb out from takeoff, the pilot reported the aircraft began to shake violently and the throttle and mixture retarded on their own. the pilot applied full power and mixture and the aircraft continued to shake but still made enough power to turn back to the airport. the pilot held the mixture and throttle full forward and was able to make the runway. once on the runway, the aircraft
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
28 accidents since 2008, 5 fatal (7 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 0 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)3
- Runway excursion2
- Loss of control on ground2
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)2
- Landing area overshoot2
- Loss of control in flight2
Phase of flight
- Enroute7
- Initial climb6
- Landing6
- Takeoff4
- Approach3
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-23 | Lapeer, MI | Takeoff: Runway excursion | None | ANC26LA031 |
| 2026-02-24 | Arno, TN | Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing | None | ERA26LA127 |
| 2025-08-09 | Chamblee, GA | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Serious | ERA25LA294 |
| 2024-10-16 | Newnan, GA | Initial climb: Fuel related | None | ERA25LA016 |
| 2024-06-24 | Fire island, NY | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | None | ERA24LA277 |
| 2024-05-26 | Hope mills, NC | Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp failure | Serious | ERA24LA230 |
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-28-151 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 fuel control/reciprocating engines and for jammed carburetors: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the PA-28-151 (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-28-151s are registered in the US?
- 942, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-151 built?
- From about 1973 to 1976. Half of those registered today were built by 1974.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-151 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-320 (94% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-151?
- In 9 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuel control/reciprocating engines, fuselage miscellaneous structure, tire tube, and the part most often reported was a jammed carburetor.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-151 had?
- 28 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Piper PA-28-151 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-151 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.