Ownership guide
Piper PA-32R-300
499 registered in the US, built from about 1975 to 1977, 7 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
- 499
- Built
- 1975 to 1977
- Half built by
- 1976
- Seats
- 7
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming TIO-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming TIO-540308 aircraft (62%) · 32 ADs, 5 with a repeat action
- Lycoming IO-540116 aircraft (23%) · 33 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
21 current ADs name the PA-32R-300 airframe, 3 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 65 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
- 97-01-01 R1The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-24, PA- 28R, PA-30, PA-32R, PA-34, and PA-39 Series AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 97-01-01Repeat actionOct 29, 1998
What gets reported
19 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Fuselage, Landing Gear Attach Fittings2
- Reciprocating Engine Power Section1
- Flight Control System1
- Tire Tube1
- Landing Gear Actuator1
- Fuselage Structure (General)1
Parts reported most
- Camshaft, galled1
- Control cable, cracked1
- Tube, failed1
- Casting, cracked1
- Landing gear, none1
- Trunnion, failed1
The latest reports
2026-08-13 · Engine Fuel Distribution · Servo, faulted
Pilot reported the fuel pressure pegged max pressure causing the gauge to become inop. it was replaced and again the gauge went to max & became inop, the fuel flow at full throttle now exceeds 30gph indicated where it used to be 28gph & all the cylinder head temperatures in climb are cold with the highest temperature being 320 degrees, leaned out in cruise, cht's would be around 280. after this fi
2023-12-04 · Global Positioning System · Unknown, unknown
During maintenance flight, after installation of garmin gi275's and gfc500, the owner smelled the distinct odor of hot wires but did not observe any smoke. he declared an emergency and returned to kbjc and to our ramp without incident. after two days of intense inspection i discovered that the instrument lighting wire that went to the now removed vacuum gauge had not been properly capped and sto
2023-11-27 · Propeller Hub Section · Hub, leaking
Propeller model b3d34c433-c , red dyed oil coming from blade hub, on cowling , wind screen and puddle on hanger floor. prop overhaul date 12/ 2018 t.t. 604 hrs, disassembled and resealed 3/2022 t.t. 900 hrs, leakage reappeared on 11/2023 t.t. 1150.0 hrs.
2021-12-03 · Fuselage Structure (General) · Landing gear, none
On 12/3/2021 on take-off roll, the nose landing gear suddenly retracted causing the aircraft to suffer a prop strike and other non-structural damage. the cause was believed to be a worn hydraulic actuator. repairs were undertaken and the aircraft returned to service. after only 5 hours on may 12, 2022, again while on take-off roll at approximately 65 knots ias the nose landing gear retracted once
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
51 accidents since 2008, 17 fatal (59 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 11 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)7
- Loss of engine power (total)5
- Fuel starvation3
- Hard landing3
- Loss of control in flight3
- Powerplant sys/comp failure3
Phase of flight
- Enroute16
- Landing9
- Approach8
- Initial climb7
- Takeoff6
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-21 | Thomaston, GA | Landing: Landing gear not configured | None | ERA26LA322 |
| 2026-05-22 | Comanche, TX | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | None | CEN26LA202 |
| 2025-09-23 | White plains, NY | Landing: Landing area undershoot | None | ERA25LA363 |
| 2025-06-24 | Big lake, AK | Approach: Fuel starvation | Serious | ANC25LA055 |
| 2024-06-12 | Selma, AL | Landing: Hard landing | None | ERA24LA259 |
| 2023-07-02 | North myrtle beach, SC | Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | ERA23FA280 |
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 fuselage, landing gear attach fittings and for galled camshafts: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the PA-32R-300 (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-32R family
Questions
- How many Piper PA-32R-300s are registered in the US?
- 499, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-32R-300 built?
- From about 1975 to 1977. Half of those registered today were built by 1976.
- What engine does the Piper PA-32R-300 have?
- Most have the Lycoming TIO-540 (62% of those registered); others have the Lycoming IO-540.
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-32R-300?
- In 19 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuselage, landing gear attach fittings, reciprocating engine power section, flight control system, and the part most often reported was a galled camshaft.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-32R-300 had?
- 51 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 17 of them fatal. The most common defining event was controlled flight into terrain or object (cfit). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Piper PA-32R-300 have?
- 21 current ADs name the PA-32R-300 airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 65 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.