Ownership guide
Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga
453 registered in the US, built from about 1979 to 2005, 7 seats, most with the Lycoming IO-540. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 453
- Built
- 1979 to 2005
- Half built by
- 1989
- Seats
- 7
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming IO-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming IO-540389 aircraft (86%) · 33 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
- Lycoming TIO-54016 aircraft (4%) · 32 ADs, 5 with a repeat action
- Lycoming O-54011 aircraft (2%) · 23 ADs, 3 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-301 airframe, 3 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 88 more. 16 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
7 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)2
- Engine Air Intake System1
- Magneto/Distributor1
- Wing Miscellaneous Structure1
- Rudder Tab Control System1
- Landing Gear Retraction/Extension System1
Parts reported most
- Intake duct, incorrect1
- None, bypassing1
- Magneto, malfunctioned1
- Structure, cracked1
- Arm, broken1
- Limit switch, broken1
The latest reports
2026-10-12 · Rudder Tab Control System · Arm, broken
This part connects the rudder trim actuator to the rudder bar assembly. the part has two arms welded to it. one connects to the right rudder cable and the other connects to the rudder trim actuator. the arm attached to the rudder trim actuator breaks off near the rudder bar assy. this renders the rudder trim inoperative. i have seen this on a few pa-32 aircraft recently. all break in the same loca
2024-10-17 · Engine Air Intake System · Intake duct, incorrect
Aircraft departed airport and after approximately 10 minutes into flight, aircraft had leveled out at cruise altitude of 7,000 feet. aircraft experienced a loss of power which resulted in the aircraft impacting the ground on its belly and sliding sideways into a utility pole separating the empennage and left wing from the fuselage. investigation revealed the air inlet hose was worn and appeared to
2023-12-10 · Landing Gear Retraction/Extension System · Limit switch, broken
Aircraft n2542w was coming in for landing at ksus on 10 december 2023. pic selected landing gear handle to extend position. right main and nose gear down and lock indication illuminated left main did not. after a few plane slides and left main gear light still not illuminated, a tower fly by was completed to verify gear extended. pic landed aircraft without incident. mechanics inspected left landi
2022-06-13 · Fuselage Structure (General) · None, bypassing
This aircraft made an emergency landing at fort lauderdale executive airport after several attempts the right main would not freefall, the aircraft was brought to us for maintenance and troubleshoot after this incident. we found that the power pack p/n hyc5005 was defective, we replaced with o/h unit s/n 472077 , on the jacks we couldnt get main gear to retract only nose gear retracted, and the p
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
19 accidents since 2008, 8 fatal (14 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 7 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)2
- Loss of control in flight2
- Aerodynamic stall/spin1
- Powerplant sys/comp failure1
- Structural icing1
- Windshear or thunderstorm1
Phase of flight
- Enroute9
- Landing5
- Approach2
- Takeoff1
- Maneuvering1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-18 | Oxford, MS | Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Serious | CEN25LA387 |
| 2024-10-17 | Van, TX | Enroute: Powerplant sys/comp failure | Minor | CEN25LA018 |
| 2024-04-12 | Knoxville, TN | Enroute: Structural icing | Fatal | ERA24FA176 |
| 2023-06-09 | Stella maris | Enroute: Windshear or thunderstorm | Fatal | GAA23WA165 |
| 2023-01-11 | Dayton, VA | Enroute: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) | Fatal | ERA23FA108 |
| 2022-06-09 | Olla, LA | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | Minor | CEN22LA247 |
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 structure (general) and for incorrect intake ducts: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 16 equipment ADs name the PA-32R-301 (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-301s are registered in the US?
- 453, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-32R-301 built?
- From about 1979 to 2005. Half of those registered today were built by 1989.
- What engine does the Piper PA-32R-301 have?
- Most have the Lycoming IO-540 (86% of those registered); others have the Lycoming TIO-540, Lycoming O-540.
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-32R-301?
- In 7 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuselage structure (general), engine air intake system, magneto/distributor, and the part most often reported was a incorrect intake duct.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-32R-301 had?
- 19 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 8 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-32R-301 have?
- 21 current ADs name the PA-32R-301 airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 88 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.