Turboprop · Buyer's guide
Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) buyer's guide:
what the records reveal
Every number on this page is computed from official U.S. government records — the FAA registry, the NTSB accident database, FAA Service Difficulty Reports and the Federal Register — for the 977 Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) aircraft currently on the U.S. registry, and reconciled to the airframes actually in this fleet: U.S. registrations get reused, so records filed while a registration belonged to a different aircraft are excluded. Nothing here is opinion or marketing copy: it is what the public record says about this type, and what that means for your pre-buy.
The U.S. fleet at a glance
The FAA registry lists 977 Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) aircraft, built between 1990 and 2025. The largest concentrations are registered in DE (117), TX (88), CA (79). 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)
| Certification | Normal (Part 23) |
|---|---|
| Engine | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 / -66D turboprop — 700–850 shp (flat-rated, by model) |
| Propeller / rotor | Hartzell 4- or 5-blade |
| Seats | 6 |
| Fuel | Jet-A |
| Production | 1990–present (TBM 700→960) |
| Type certificate | A60EU (FAA) / EASA.A.010 (FAA) |
Representative type specifications — values can vary by serial/variant. Verify against the official FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (drs.faa.gov, document A60EU (FAA) / EASA.A.010).
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 Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) fleet, 42 reports have been filed against this type since 1995 — most airframes have zero reports on file, with a mean of 0 per airframe. The systems mechanics report most on this type:
- JASC 73 — Engine Fuel & Control : 11 reports fleet-wide
- JASC 57 — Wings : 11 reports fleet-wide
- JASC 32 — Landing Gear : 4 reports fleet-wide
- JASC 35 — Oxygen : 3 reports fleet-wide
- JASC 55 — Stabilizers : 2 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: 1,828 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 19 accident or incident records serial-matched to Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) airframes in this fleet since 2008 — about 1.9 per 100 currently registered aircraft, of which 6 involved fatal injuries (most recent record: 2026). A further 19 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.
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
40 airworthiness directives published since 2001 in our Federal Register database and matched to this type are currently open, including 4 recurring directives 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 2025-26-02 recurring · effective 2026-02-12 — The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2007-06-11 (AD 2007-06-11) for certain SOCATA (type certificate now held by DAHER AEROSPACE) Model TBM 700 airplanes. AD 2007-06-11 required repetitively inspecting the vertical stabilizer attachment fittings and bolts for cracks or corrosion, and, if necessary, repairing or replacing the damaged part and then applying a corrosion protection reinforcement. Since the FAA issued AD 2007-06-11, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, superseded the previous Direc
- AD 2025-02-08 · effective 2025-03-19 — certain existing emergency procedures in the pilot's operating handbook (POH) that cannot be fully accomplished since certain equipment cannot be disconnected b
- AD 2025-01-04 · effective 2025-03-11 — reports of wear of the inner flap actuator drive nut
- AD 2023-11-12 · effective 2023-07-21 — mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an avia
- AD 2021-25-10 · effective 2022-01-24 — modifying the oil cooler air induction duct
- AD 2021-24-13 · effective 2022-01-12 — mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an a
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, 343 of the 977 observed Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) airframes — 35.1% — 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 Daher TBM (700/850/900 series)
A records-driven starting checklist for this type — derived from the figures above, to hand to your mechanic:
- Inspect the engine fuel & control closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (11 reports fleet-wide).
- Inspect the wings closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (11 reports fleet-wide).
- Inspect the landing gear closely — it is among the most-reported systems for this type in FAA Service Difficulty Reports (4 reports fleet-wide).
- Verify in the logbooks that the 4 recurring airworthiness directives matched to this type are signed off at the required intervals.
- Confirm engine and airframe times against the logbooks and the most recent annual inspection.
- Have a licensed A&P/IA perform a physical pre-purchase inspection — no records check replaces it.
Check the specific aircraft you're considering
This page covers the type. Your decision is about ONE airframe — its own NTSB history (serial-verified), its own service difficulty reports, its own registration timeline and risk score.
Browse the data: Daher TBM (700/850/900 series) fleet records · Method: how to check any aircraft's history