Ownership guide
Piper PA-31-350
392 registered in the US, built from about 1973 to 1984, 8 seats, most with the Lycoming TIO-540. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 392
- Built
- 1973 to 1984
- Half built by
- 1979
- Seats
- 8
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming TIO-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming TIO-540319 aircraft (81%) · 32 ADs, 5 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
65 current ADs name the PA-31-350 airframe, 10 with a repeat action; 5 more were superseded. Its engines carry 32 more. 8 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.
- 2017-10-20Requires repetitive inspections to detect cracks in the bulkhead and any necessary repairsFuselage--main bulkhead · AirplaneRepeat actionMay 25, 2017
- 2016-05-01Requires repetitive inspections of the bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75 for cracks, repair of cracks as necessary, and the installation of a reinforcement modificationFuselage · AirplaneSupersedes 96-12-12Repeat actionMar 11, 2016
- 2013-10-04Requires visual repetitive inspections, expanding the inspection scope to include the entirety of each airplane exhaust systemEngine exhaust · AirplaneSupersedes 82-16-05 R1Repeat actionJun 12, 2013
- 2009-13-06 R1Piper Aircraft, Inc. AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 2009-13-06Repeat actionSep 29, 2011
- 2003-24-07Install an inspection hole (or use for inspection the tooling hole in the rudder bottom rib), conduct a detailed visual inspection of the rudder torque tube and associated ribs for corrosion, and, if corrosion is...The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P, PA-31T, PA-31T1, PA-31T2, PA-31T3, and PA-31P-350 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionDec 3, 2003
- 2001-06-01Requires a modification at a certain time period, as terminating action for the currently required repetitive inspectionsThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P, PA-31T, PA-31T1, PA-31T2, PA-31T3, and PA-31P-350 Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 70-26-06, 76-03-01, 80-02-15Repeat actionMar 30, 2001
- 2000-25-01Requires inspections on the improved design partsThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (formerly Piper Aircraft Corporation) PA-31 Series Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 80-26-05Repeat actionDec 18, 2000
- 99-12-05Requires installing access holes for the inspection of the elevator spar; inspecting the elevator ice protection boots for looseness and reinstalling or replacing the elevator ice protection boots if looseness is foundThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA- 31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P-350 Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionJun 14, 1999
- 99-06-01Requires repetitively inspecting the horizontal rear spar in the area of the outboard hinge attachment and the outboard hinge attach bracket for cracksThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA- 31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P-350 Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 81-15-04 R1Repeat actionMar 10, 1999
- 98-08-18Requires replacing the elevator bungee link with a link of improved design on all affected airplanes except for the Piper Model PA-31P airplanes, and repetitively replacing the elevator bungee spring on all affected...The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA- 31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 79-01-04Repeat actionApr 15, 1998
What gets reported
118 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 Section13
- Landing Gear Retraction/Extension System9
- Engine (Reciprocating)9
- Engine Fuel Pump7
- Hydraulic System, Main7
- Magneto/Distributor6
Parts reported most
- Cylinder, cracked4
- Engine, making metal4
- Filter housing, cracked4
- Pump, failed3
- Landing gear, malfunctioned3
- Cylinder, separated2
The latest reports
2025-11-02 · Hydraulic System, Main · O-ring, cut
After takeoff, landing gear failed to retract (stuck in transit). recycling lever to down also failed; no green lights illuminated. visual check showed nose gear stuck in a halfway position. pilot executed emergency gear extension checklist and successfully deployed all three gear using the hand pump. aircraft landed safely. post-flight inspection found a significant hydraulic fluid leak from the
2025-08-16 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Connecting rod, failed
Nr 6 conecting rod failed in flight.
2025-03-06 · Exhaust Turbocharger · Turbocharger, failed
Aircraft experienced a left engine power fluctuation during cruise at 3,500 feet, en route from rota (gro) to saipan (gsn). the pilot-in-command (pic) observed manifold pressure fluctuations between 28-22 inches of mercury and noted inconsistent engine power. white/blue smoke was subsequently observed emanating from the left engine. the aircraft returned to rota (gro) with the left engine operatin
2025-01-03 · Aircraft Fuel Distribution System · Fitting, leaking
45 inch aluminum portion of the fuel hose assy from acft to engine fuel pump appears to have cracked, causing fuel to spray on exhaust and caused an inflt fire.
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
49 accidents since 2008, 11 fatal (46 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 6 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Fuel exhaustion5
- Loss of control in flight5
- Ground collision3
- Loss of engine power (total)3
- Runway excursion3
- Landing gear not configured3
Phase of flight
- Enroute14
- Landing13
- Initial climb7
- Approach6
- Taxi4
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-17 | Eek, AK | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | ANC26LA005 |
| 2025-01-10 | Fairbanks, AK | Taxi: Ground collision | None | ANC25LA016 |
| 2024-12-11 | Victoria, TX | Approach: Fuel exhaustion | Serious | CEN25LA060 |
| 2023-10-14 | Sioux lookout | Other: Miscellaneous/other | GAA24WA057 | |
| 2023-04-07 | Archerfield | Approach: Loss of engine power (total) | GAA23WA197 | |
| 2023-03-28 | Bournemouth | Enroute: Fire/smoke (non-impact) | None | GAA23WA109 |
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 (10 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 cylinders: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 8 equipment ADs name the PA-31-350 (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-31 family
Questions
- How many Piper PA-31-350s are registered in the US?
- 392, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-31-350 built?
- From about 1973 to 1984. Half of those registered today were built by 1979.
- What engine does the Piper PA-31-350 have?
- Most have the Lycoming TIO-540 (81% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-31-350?
- In 118 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, landing gear retraction/extension system, engine (reciprocating), and the part most often reported was a cracked cylinder.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-31-350 had?
- 49 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 of them fatal. The most common defining event was fuel exhaustion. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Piper PA-31-350 have?
- 65 current ADs name the PA-31-350 airframe, 10 of them with a repeat action, and 32 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.