Cessna 182 Skylane buyer's guide:
what the records reveal

The U.S. fleet at a glance

The FAA registry lists 13,777 Cessna 182 Skylane aircraft, built between 1943 and 2026. The largest concentrations are registered in CA (1,368), TX (1,362), FL (702). A large, active fleet works in a buyer's favor: parts supply, mechanic familiarity and comparable sale prices are all easier to establish than on a rare type.

Type specifications (FAA Type Certificate)

Representative type specifications — values can vary by serial/variant. Verify against the official FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (drs.faa.gov, document 3A13).

Where this fleet reports maintenance difficulties

FAA Service Difficulty Reports are filed by mechanics and operators when a component fails or malfunctions in service. Across the Cessna 182 Skylane fleet, 694 reports have been filed against this type since 1995 — most airframes have zero reports on file, with a mean of 0.1 per airframe. The systems mechanics report most on this type:

• JASC 85 — Reciprocating Engine : 128 reports fleet-wide
• JASC 32 — Landing Gear : 69 reports fleet-wide
• JASC 53 — Fuselage : 57 reports fleet-wide
• JASC 74 — Ignition : 54 reports fleet-wide
• JASC 28 — Fuel : 47 reports fleet-wide

Filing is voluntary, so these figures understate reality — but the RELATIVE weight of each system is exactly where an experienced buyer points the pre-buy inspection first. Reconciliation note: 1,862 further reports filed under these registrations were excluded because the aircraft model declared in the report shows they belong to previous holders of the same N-numbers.

The accident record, in numbers

The NTSB database holds 356 accident or incident records serial-matched to Cessna 182 Skylane airframes in this fleet since 2008 — about 2.6 per 100 currently registered aircraft, of which 27 involved fatal injuries (most recent record: 2026). A further 30 records filed under the same N-numbers belong to different airframes (reused registrations) and are excluded.

Method: the denominator is the fleet currently on the FAA registry. Airframes destroyed and later deregistered leave that denominator, so this ratio understates lifetime accident history — read it as a fleet-profile indicator, not an accident rate. Fleet totals also reflect how the type is flown (training and commercial work versus private use), not just the machine itself. 5 records without a usable serial could not be verified and remain included.

Fleet-level counts tell you about the TYPE; what matters for your purchase is whether the specific airframe you are considering appears in that database — and U.S. registrations get reused, so a serial-number check matters. That per-aircraft lookup is exactly what a TailGuard report does.

Airworthiness directives to know about

18 airworthiness directives published since 1995 in our Federal Register database and matched to this type are currently open, including 1 recurring directive that must be re-complied with at set intervals. The full list of directives applicable to an older airframe is longer — build it at drs.faa.gov. The most recent in our database:

• AD 2020-21-22 · effective 2020-12-07 — report of cracks found in the tailcone and horizontal stabilizer attachment structure
• AD 2011-10-09 recurring · effective 2011-06-17 — We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) 150, 152, 170, 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 190, 195, 206, 207, 210, T303, 336, and 337 series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections and replacement of parts, if necessary, of the seat rail and seat rail holes; seat pin engagement; seat rollers, washers, and axle bolts or bushings; wall thickness of roller housing and the tang; and lock pin springs. This new AD requires retaining all of the actions from the previous AD and adding steps to the inspection procedures in th
• AD 2008-26-10 · effective 2010-11-16 — The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that was published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to the products listed above. In the Information Heading and in the SUMMARY section of the published AD, we incorrectly included Cessna 188 series airplanes. In the Unsafe Condition section, we incorrectly designated that paragraph as (e) instead of (d). Also in the Compliance section, paragraph (f)(2), and in Figure 1, we incorrectly stated the mailing address for the report. We are issuing this document to help eliminate any confusion that this AD may have created in the Informat
• AD 2008-26-10 · effective 2009-01-05 — inspect the alternate static air source selector valve to assure that the part number identification placard does not obstruct the alternate static air source selector valve
• AD 2008-10-02 · effective 2008-05-12 — inspect the alternate static air source selector valve to assure that the part number identification placard does not obstruct the alternate static air source selector valve
• AD 2008-05-09 · effective 2008-04-08 — remove the crew seats, modify the seat base/ back attach brackets, and reinstall the seats of the affected airplanes

Superseded directives are excluded from these counts. Directives apply by type — no database can tell you whether a given airframe complied. Only its logbooks can, and that is the single most important paperwork check of your pre-buy.

Ownership turnover

Comparing monthly FAA registry snapshots from Aug 2023 to Jun 2026, 3,012 of the 13,777 observed Cessna 182 Skylane airframes — 21.9% — changed registrant at least once. This includes registrant-name changes that are not market sales — such as a transfer to an owner's LLC or trust — and newly delivered aircraft registered to their first buyer within the window. A recent ownership change is not a red flag by itself, but a rapid succession of owners deserves a direct question to the seller, and the registration timeline of the specific aircraft is worth reading before you negotiate.

Before you buy a Cessna 182 Skylane

A records-driven starting checklist for this type — derived from the figures above, to hand to your mechanic:

1. Inspect the reciprocating engine closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (128 reports fleet-wide).
2. Inspect the landing gear closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (69 reports fleet-wide).
3. Inspect the fuselage closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (57 reports fleet-wide).
4. Verify in the logbooks that the 1 recurring airworthiness directive matched to this type is signed off at the required intervals.
5. Confirm engine and airframe times against the logbooks and the most recent annual inspection.
6. Have a licensed A&P/IA perform a physical pre-purchase inspection — no records check replaces it.