Ownership guide
Piper PA-34-200T Seneca
552 registered in the US, built from about 1974 to 1980, 7 seats, most with the Continental TSIO-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 552
- Built
- 1974 to 1980
- Half built by
- 1977
- Seats
- 7
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental TSIO-360
Engines installed
- Continental TSIO-360472 aircraft (86%) · 22 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
35 current ADs name the PA-34-200T airframe, 5 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 22 more. 11 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.
- 2022-09-13Requires establishing a life limit for these boltsNose/tail landing gear · AirplaneRepeat actionApr 26, 2022
- 2013-02-13Requires inspections of the stabilator control system and replacement of parts as necessaryStabilizer control system · AirplaneRepeat actionFeb 4, 2013
- 2005-13-16Replace unserviceable partsThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-34 Series Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 93-24-14Repeat actionJun 22, 2005
- 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
- 94-13-11Piper Aircraft Inc. AirplanesAirplaneRepeat actionJun 27, 1994
What gets reported
16 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 Section2
- Landing Gear Actuator2
- Flight Compartment Windows1
- Aircraft Fuel Distribution System1
- Reciprocating Engine Power Section1
- Battery Box Structure1
Parts reported most
- Retainer, cracked2
- Seal, inadequate1
- Regulator valve, leaking1
- Cotter pin, broken1
- Battery box, failed1
- Elt, malfunctioned1
The latest reports
2024-04-03 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Retainer, cracked
Rocker arm shaft retainer continental p/n # 631996. found cracked retainers during annual inspection while performing visual inspection. order replacements. old parts are cast and new style replacement with same part number looks to be billet.
2024-04-02 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Retainer, cracked
Rocker shaft retainers cracked. x 8 4 on left engine and 4 on right engine.
2023-06-23 · Nose/Tail Landing Gear · Bolt, broken
This bolt, piper p/n 400 274 (an7'35), had been installed 20 days and 31.2 flight hours prior to failing, as a result of the operator complying with the requirements of ad 2005-13-16. the part displayed the indicator pattern for a reverse bending fatigue fracture. this is the bolt that connects the upper drag link to the nose gear trunnion, and is not contained within a higher assembly. an exam
2022-11-08 · Landing Gear Actuator · Actuator, cracked
Lh mlg actuator attach point broken (actuator body end).
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
38 accidents since 2008, 9 fatal (17 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 11 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Landing gear not configured5
- Loss of control in flight5
- Hard landing5
- Loss of engine power (total)3
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)3
- Loss of control on ground3
Phase of flight
- Landing18
- Approach9
- Enroute5
- Initial climb4
- Maneuvering1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-15 | Kingston | Landing: Unknown or undetermined | None | GAA24WA261 |
| 2024-07-31 | Wills point, TX | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | None | CEN24LA311 |
| 2024-06-13 | Eaglesnest, MS | Landing: Landing gear not configured | None | CEN24LA223 |
| 2024-05-28 | Santa rosa | Approach: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) | Fatal | GAA24WA179 |
| 2023-12-26 | Ponca city, OK | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | CEN24LA074 |
| 2023-09-01 | Coolidge, AZ | Landing: Landing gear not configured | None | WPR23LA332 |
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 (5 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 retainers: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 11 equipment ADs name the PA-34-200T (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-34 family
Questions
- How many Piper PA-34-200Ts are registered in the US?
- 552, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Piper PA-34-200T built?
- From about 1974 to 1980. Half of those registered today were built by 1977.
- What engine does the Piper PA-34-200T have?
- Most have the Continental TSIO-360 (86% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Piper PA-34-200T?
- In 16 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, landing gear actuator, flight compartment windows, and the part most often reported was a cracked retainer.
- How many accidents has the Piper PA-34-200T had?
- 38 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 9 of them fatal. The most common defining event was landing gear not configured. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Piper PA-34-200T have?
- 35 current ADs name the PA-34-200T airframe, 5 of them with a repeat action, and 22 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.