Ownership guide
Piper PA-32R-301T
528 registered in the US, built from about 1979 to 2008, 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
- 528
- Built
- 1979 to 2008
- Half built by
- 1999
- Seats
- 7
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming TIO-540
Engines installed
- Lycoming TIO-540467 aircraft (88%) · 32 ADs, 5 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-301T airframe, 3 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 32 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
8 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Nose/Tail Landing Gear Strut/Axle1
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
- Reciprocating Engine Oil System1
- Aileron Control System1
- Engine Oil Temperature1
- Rudder Control System1
Parts reported most
- Drag link, broken1
- Intake valve, broken1
- Oil system, overtemp1
- Cable, broken1
- Warning system, false activation1
- Control arm, broken1
The latest reports
2025-12-08 · Rudder Control System · Control arm, broken
Pilot noticed that the rudder trim system was unresponsive when rudder trim adjustment was made. upon closer examination the arm that connects to the rudder trim actuator on the rudder control arm assy (pn 63457-003) had separated from the tube adjacent to the weld.
2023-10-21 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Intake valve, broken
Engine lost power on takeoff roll and take off was safely aborted. found no compression on cylinder #6 and determined the entire intake valve was missing. found valve in three pieces in intake plenum. valve stem tip had separated from the valve stem at the keeper groove and was still in the rotator cap. lifter, push rod ends, rocker, valve spring retainer and keepers were still in place and unr
2020-08-07 · Aileron Control System · Cable, broken
Found right side aileron balance cable broken where it goes over the pulley in the right wing root, left and right aileron balance cables are reversed.
2019-04-11 · Engine Oil Temperature · Warning system, false activation
Pilot reported the factory oil temperature system gave warning that oil temp was high while in cruse. pilot landed at nearest airport and check oil level which was normal. could not duplicate problem after landing. continued flight to destination without further issues.
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
25 accidents since 2008, 7 fatal (15 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)4
- Powerplant sys/comp failure3
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)2
- Landing gear collapse2
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)2
- Fire/smoke (non-impact)2
Phase of flight
- Enroute8
- Landing7
- Approach3
- Takeoff3
- Initial climb2
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | Marana, AZ | Landing: Landing area overshoot | Fatal | WPR26FA151 |
| 2025-11-16 | Woodfin mill, GA | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | Minor | ERA26LA040 |
| 2024-07-30 | North myrtle beach, SC | Landing: Landing gear not configured | None | ERA24LA337 |
| 2024-02-10 | Spanish fork, UT | Approach: Fuel starvation | Minor | WPR24LA088 |
| 2023-01-01 | Old bridge, NJ | Approach: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) | None | ERA23LA107 |
| 2022-07-06 | Tamaulipas | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | None | GAA22WA249 |
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 nose/tail landing gear strut/axle and for broken drag links: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 16 equipment ADs name the PA-32R-301T (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-301Ts are registered in the US?
- 528, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-32R-301T built?
- From about 1979 to 2008. Half of those registered today were built by 1999.
- What engine does the Piper PA-32R-301T have?
- Most have the Lycoming TIO-540 (88% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-32R-301T?
- In 8 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were nose/tail landing gear strut/axle, reciprocating engine cylinder section, reciprocating engine oil system, and the part most often reported was a broken drag link.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-32R-301T had?
- 25 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 7 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-301T have?
- 21 current ADs name the PA-32R-301T airframe, 3 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.