Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-161 Warrior
1,501 registered in the US, built from about 1977 to 2015, 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
- 1,501
- Built
- 1977 to 2015
- Half built by
- 1979
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-320
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3201,379 aircraft (92%) · 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59 current ADs name the PA-28-161 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 17 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
102 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 Section30
- Magneto/Distributor15
- Wing, Attach Fittings6
- Main Landing Gear Strut/Axle/Truck6
- Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines5
- Main Landing Gear Attach Section4
Parts reported most
- Cylinder head, cracked13
- Impulse coupling, loose5
- Cylinder, cracked5
- Fitting, damaged4
- Bracket, corroded4
- Exhaust valve, damaged4
The latest reports
2026-07-27 · Spark Plug/Igniter · Spark plug, cracked
A spark plug was replaced during a scheduled maintenance inspection. during the post-maintenance operational check, the engine suddenly developed roughness and a partial loss of power. subsequent inspection found the spark plug had completely separated into two pieces at a point between the spark plug gasket boss and the hexagonal nut portion (what tempest refers to as the hot lock assembly). this
2026-06-24 · Wing, Control Surface Attach Fittings · Bracket, corroded
The left wing center flap hinge bracket was found with corrosion pittining that was beyond rework limits necessitatining the replacement of the bracket. the origin of the corrosion was the bonding wire attachment point.
2026-06-24 · Wing, Attach Fittings · Bracket, corroded
The right wing center flap hinge bracket was found with corrosion pitting that was beyond rework limits necessitating the replacement of the bracket. the origin of the corrosion was the bonding wire attachment point.
2026-06-24 · Wing, Control Surface Attach Fittings · Bracket, corroded
The left wing center flap hinge bracket was found with corrosion pittining that was beyond rework limits necessitatining the replacement of the bracket. the origin of the corrosion was the bonding wire attachment point.
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
110 accidents since 2008, 19 fatal (26 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 10 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground14
- Loss of engine power (total)13
- Fire/smoke (non-impact)9
- Loss of control in flight9
- Loss of engine power (partial)6
- Collision during takeoff/land6
Phase of flight
- Landing26
- Approach19
- Enroute15
- Takeoff12
- Initial climb11
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | Weatherford, TX | Takeoff: Runway excursion | None | CEN26LA304 |
| 2026-07-18 | San bernardino, CA | Taxi: Landing gear collapse | None | WPR26LA269 |
| 2026-06-29 | Easton, MD | Standing: Fire/smoke (non-impact) | None | ERA26LA262 |
| 2025-09-20 | Linden, NJ | Landing: Birdstrike | None | ERA25LA360 |
| 2025-01-10 | Newburyport, MA | Landing: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | None | ERA25LA095 |
| 2024-07-28 | Immokalee, FL | Taxi: Ground collision | None | ERA24LA336B |
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-28-161 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 cracked cylinder heads: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 17 equipment ADs name the PA-28-161 (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-28-161s are registered in the US?
- 1,501, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-161 built?
- From about 1977 to 2015. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-161 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-320 (92% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-161?
- In 102 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, magneto/distributor, wing, attach fittings, and the part most often reported was a cracked cylinder head.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-161 had?
- 110 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 19 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-28-161 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-161 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.