Ownership guide
Piper PA-28-236 Dakota
477 registered in the US, built from about 1978 to 1994, 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
- 477
- Built
- 1978 to 1994
- Half built by
- 1979
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-540428 aircraft (90%) · 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59 current ADs name the PA-28-236 airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 23 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
4 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine Mount Section1
- Propeller Governor1
- Reciprocating Engine Rear Section1
- Hydraulic System, Main1
Parts reported most
- Isolation mount, out of limits1
- Governor, damaged1
- Drive gear, cracked1
- Fitting, cracked1
The latest reports
2022-10-09 · Propeller Governor · Governor, damaged
During approach to landing, engine decreased rpm uncommanded, pilot noticed oil coming out of the cowling onto the windshield. pilot made an uneventful landing, taxied to the ramp, shut down, and observed massive amounts of oil coming out of the cowling. discovered 1/2" to 3/4" hole in the bottom of the propeller governor, in the area of the fly weight housing. pn atf-4-21 s/n 13404226. installed
2020-06-16 · Engine Mount Section · Isolation mount, out of limits
During routine 100 inspection the engine rubber isolation mounts were noted to have sagging beyond the manufacturer limits. hoist engine and unload mounts one at a time and install new oem mounts. concurrently retire all four engine mount center bolts and replace with new center bolts. see attached photos.
2020-06-16 · Reciprocating Engine Rear Section · Drive gear, cracked
During routine 100 hour inspection the magneto was removed for 500 hour service and inspection. since the magneto was out of the way and inspection of the magneto drive cushions was required, the gear was removed from the engine. once the cushions were removed from the gear, the gear was noted to have a surface defect and the cushion holders looked deformed. sent gear out for magna-fux inspection
2020-06-16 · Hydraulic System, Main · Fitting, cracked
A cronic hydraulic leak and loss of brakes prior to inspection was noted. removal of interior carpeting and cleaning of aircraft structure prior to application of system pressure lead to fitting. removal of fitting and inspection showed in the life of the aircraft the fitting was removed, teflon tape installed with reinstalled and possible overtightening. removal of the fitting this inspection sho
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
18 accidents since 2008, 4 fatal (5 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground3
- Loss of control in flight2
- Fuel exhaustion2
- Loss of engine power (total)2
- Runway excursion2
- Midair collision2
Phase of flight
- Landing6
- Enroute5
- Taxi2
- Approach2
- Maneuvering1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-03 | Glenwood springs, CO | Taxi: Ground collision | None | CEN26LA272 |
| 2021-10-31 | Orleans, MA | Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | ERA22LA043 |
| 2018-01-13 | Tishomingo, OK | Enroute: Fuel exhaustion | Serious | CEN18LA075 |
| 2017-01-13 | Port orford, OR | Enroute: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | WPR17FA052 |
| 2016-10-27 | Lexington, MO | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total) | None | CEN17LA031 |
| 2016-06-17 | Punta gorda, FL | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | ERA16LA225 |
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 engine mount section and for out of limits isolation mounts: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the PA-28-236 (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-28-236s are registered in the US?
- 477, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-28-236 built?
- From about 1978 to 1994. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
- What engine does the Piper PA-28-236 have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-540 (90% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-28-236?
- In 4 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine mount section, propeller governor, reciprocating engine rear section, and the part most often reported was a out of limits isolation mount.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-28-236 had?
- 18 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 4 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-28-236 have?
- 59 current ADs name the PA-28-236 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.