Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-235
846 registered in the US, built from about 1963 to 1977, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-540. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 846
- Built
- 1963 to 1977
- Half built by
- 1967
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-540808 aircraft (96%) · 23 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59 current ADs name the PA-28-235 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 23 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
3 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Propeller Assembly1
- Main Landing Gear Strut/Axle/Truck1
- Ailerons1
Parts reported most
- Bolt, sheared1
- Bolt, broken1
- Doubler, cracked1
The latest reports
2021-02-25 · Ailerons · Doubler, cracked
Two inch crack in bend radius of doubler.
2020-09-28 · Propeller Assembly · Bolt, sheared
Owner reported oil leak in front end of engine. upon investigation it appeared to be shaft seal leak. removed propeller spinner and found two (2) bolts sheared in propeller flange. removed propeller and discovered propeller seal between propeller flange and flywheel in a flattened out condition and not sealing against shaft flange. two (2) studs where still located in the crankshaft flange bus
2020-04-10 · Main Landing Gear Strut/Axle/Truck · Bolt, broken
After landing, the aircraft was on rollout and slowing when the aircraft lost directional control due to the rh mlg turning after torque link bolt had broken.
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
52 accidents since 2008, 6 fatal (12 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 4 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)12
- Fuel starvation5
- Loss of control in flight5
- Loss of control on ground4
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)3
- Abnormal runway contact2
Phase of flight
- Landing14
- Enroute9
- Takeoff7
- Approach7
- Initial climb6
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Key west, FL | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial) | Minor | ANC26LA053 |
| 2026-06-01 | Montevideo, MN | Approach: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | CEN26LA211 |
| 2025-11-11 | Castle rock, CO | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | CEN26LA042 |
| 2025-02-26 | Manchester, VT | Enroute: VFR encounter with IMC | Serious | ERA25LA130 |
| 2025-02-09 | Shafter, CA | Approach: Loss of engine power (total) | None | WPR25LA092 |
| 2025-01-20 | Mount vernon, IL | Landing: Abnormal runway contact | None | CEN25LA085 |
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
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 propeller assembly and for sheared bolts: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 14 equipment ADs name the PA-28-235 (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-28-235s are registered in the US?
- 846, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-235 built?
- From about 1963 to 1977. Half of those registered today were built by 1967.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-235 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-540 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-235?
- In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were propeller assembly, main landing gear strut/axle/truck, ailerons, and the part most often reported was a sheared bolt.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-235 had?
- 52 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 6 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-28-235 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-235 airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 23 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.