Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee 180
3,452 registered in the US, built from about 1962 to 1975, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 3,452
- Built
- 1962 to 1975
- Half built by
- 1967
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-360
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3603,326 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
59 current ADs name the PA-28-180 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 more. 14 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
25 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Fuselage Structure (General)4
- Autopilot System2
- Fuselage Main, Plate/Skin1
- Standard Practices/Structures1
- DC Regulator1
- Flight Control System1
Parts reported most
- Battery, failed3
- Servo, failed3
- None, none2
- Skin, cracked1
- Volt regulator, intermittent1
- Turnbuckle, cracked1
The latest reports
2024-06-07 · Reciprocating Engine Power Section · Case, cracked
On climb to cruising altitude pic felt an engine vibration and decided to turn back to karg. on turn back to departure airport oil pressure dropped to "0" and engine seized. post emergency landing, engine cowling was removed, hole in crankcase found on forward top portion of engine case at the number 1 cylinder pushrod location. the hole in the engine crankcase contributed to the loss of engine oi
2024-06-03 · Magneto/Distributor · Screw, loose
Owner complained of a rough running engine. diagnosis found the bearing cap assembly mounting screws has come loose on the rh magneto.one screw and retainer has fallen completely out. the bearing cap assembly was freely rotating 5-10 degrees allowing the magneto timing to change--causing engine stumbling and roughness.
2024-01-11 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Piston, failed
Following a flt test, in pattern with acft & new eng, departed klud for the 2nd break-in flt iaw service instructions. made a full-static power runup & initiated takeoff in klud. climbout normal, entered lt pattern & departed north from lt downwind vfr at approx 2,000 ft. maintained a north heading for 5 miles, turned to a nw. continued climb & leveled off at 4,500' msl. during the climb & brief
2023-12-04 · Powerplant System · Cowling, failed
Upper cowling broke away from aircraft during flight. after inspecting the aircraft, it seems the front pin broke off the cowling possibly the adessive failed and caused the pin to break away and the upper cowling to allow airflow to enter the cowl and put too much weight on the latches causing failure.
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
149 accidents since 2008, 29 fatal (56 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 15 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)22
- Loss of control on ground22
- Loss of control in flight17
- Loss of engine power (partial)11
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)8
- Fuel starvation7
Phase of flight
- Landing40
- Enroute38
- Approach27
- Initial climb18
- Takeoff12
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | Dallas, GA | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Serious | ERA26LA328 |
| 2026-07-29 | Chandler, AZ | Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | WPR26FA281 |
| 2026-07-20 | Bulverde, TX | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial) | Minor | CEN26LA265 |
| 2026-07-15 | Linneus, ME | Enroute: Fuel exhaustion | Minor | ERA26LA273 |
| 2026-05-28 | Chesapeake, VA | Landing: Hard landing | None | ERA26LA220 |
| 2026-05-14 | Akron, OH | Approach: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | ERA26FA208 |
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-28-180 with the Lycoming O-360: 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 fuselage structure (general) and for failed batterys: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 14 equipment ADs name the PA-28-180 (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-28-180s are registered in the US?
- 3,452, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-180 built?
- From about 1962 to 1975. Half of those registered today were built by 1967.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-180 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-360 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-180?
- In 25 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuselage structure (general), autopilot system, fuselage main, plate/skin, and the part most often reported was a failed battery.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-180 had?
- 149 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 29 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-28-180 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-180 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.