How many Piper PA-38-112s are registered in the US?

435, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Piper PA-38-112 built?

From about 1978 to 1982. Half of those registered today were built by 1978.

What engine does the Piper PA-38-112 have?

Most have the Lycoming O-235 (93% of those registered).

What are common problems with the Piper PA-38-112?

In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were aircraft fuel system, elevator tab control system, main landing gear attach section, and the part most often reported was a worn rotor.

How many accidents has the Piper PA-38-112 had?

32 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-38-112 have?

16 current ADs name the PA-38-112 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk

435 registered in the US, built from about 1978 to 1982, 2 seats, most with the Lycoming O-235. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 435
Built: 1978 to 1982
Half built by: 1978
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Lycoming O-235

Engines installed

Lycoming O-235406 aircraft (93%) · 10 ADs, 1 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

16 current ADs name the PA-38-112 airframe, 1 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 10 more. 6 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.

98-03-16The New Piper Aircraft Corporation Model PA-38-112 AirplanesAirplaneRepeat actionFeb 11, 1998

Every AD for the Piper PA-38-112

What gets reported

3 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.

Systems reported most

Aircraft Fuel System1
Elevator Tab Control System1
Main Landing Gear Attach Section1

Parts reported most

Rotor, worn1
Control cable, low tension1
Attach bolt, broken1

The latest reports

2022-11-16 · Elevator Tab Control System · Control cable, low tension
Elevator trim control surface are not connected, there is no tension in the cables. with the elevator leading edge default position is pointed down.
2022-02-27 · Main Landing Gear Attach Section · Attach bolt, broken
Aircraft landing gear collapse kgtu febuary 27, 2022 .sat fsdo sw17 incident. aircraft damage was limited to landing gear attach bolts and the landing gear cover fairing during ground taxi prior to flight. faa iic recomended incident classification as minor damage to ntsb. aircraft was 14 cfr 141 flight school aircraft. faa iic observed removal of left main landing gear assembly . the two intact (
2018-02-05 · Aircraft Fuel System · Rotor, worn
Worn rotor ultimately failed during flight, resulting in a fatal accident. the pilot likely had to apply excessive force to switch fuel tanks with the worn rotor.

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

32 accidents since 2008, 7 fatal (11 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 0 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of engine power (total)7
Loss of control in flight5
Loss of control on ground4
Fuel exhaustion3
Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)3
Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)2

Phase of flight

Initial climb6
Approach6
Landing6
Enroute4
Maneuvering3

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2024-06-01	Dalhart, TX	Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other	None	CEN24LA208
2023-08-10	Harvard, IL	Takeoff: Loss of control on ground	None	CEN23LA362
2022-12-13	Rockingham, NC	Approach: Fuel exhaustion	None	ERA23LA089
2022-06-19	Gaithersburg, MD	Landing: Loss of control in flight	None	ERA22LA286
2021-09-24	Buenos aires, OF	Approach: Loss of control in flight		GAA21WA239
2020-09-04	Reserve, LA	Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)	Minor	CEN20CA386

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

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

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 (1 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 aircraft fuel system and for worn rotors: they are what gets reported most on this model.
6 equipment ADs name the PA-38-112 (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.

Questions

How many Piper PA-38-112s are registered in the US?: 435, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Piper PA-38-112 built?: From about 1978 to 1982. Half of those registered today were built by 1978.
What engine does the Piper PA-38-112 have?: Most have the Lycoming O-235 (93% of those registered).
What are common problems with the Piper PA-38-112?: In 3 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were aircraft fuel system, elevator tab control system, main landing gear attach section, and the part most often reported was a worn rotor.
How many accidents has the Piper PA-38-112 had?: 32 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-38-112 have?: 16 current ADs name the PA-38-112 airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 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.