Piper PA-28-181

Aircraft Manufacturer: Piper

Model: PA-28-181

About the Piper PA-28-181

The Piper PA-28-181 Archer is a four-seat, single-engine light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft for flight training and personal use. The Archer holds the fourth-largest active fleet among Piper's registered models, with more than 2,500 still on the U.S. civil registry.

About two-thirds of every Archer ever entered on the U.S. registry remains registered today.

Over its FAA-registration exposure, the Archer records about 3.5 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years, a rate higher than about half of comparable types in the same engine and seat class. The type's 175 recorded accidents include 22 that were fatal.

A single airworthiness directive stands against the Archer, issued June 6, 2024, and it is the only one ever filed against the PA-28-181.

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Piper
Manufacturer Serial Number 7102807
Model PA-28-181
Category Land
Aircraft Type Fixed wing single engine
Cruise Speed 105 MPH / 91 knots
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Reciprocating
Number of Engines 1 engine
Number of Seats 4 seats
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Safety Analysis

Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.

99%
Identity Confirmed

Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).


113 exact, 61 recovered, 1 provisional

Methodology
175
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


22 fatal accidents.

12.6% of recorded accidents were fatal.

3,549
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


49,769 (± 1,640)

Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).


Comparison

Within its peer cohort

Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).

This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →

Model class Share of cohort
Accidents
2.3%
Exposure
2.5%
Time series

Accidents by year

Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →

Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.

2008 – 2026 Total 175
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 175 observed): 2008 8, 2009 8, 2010 11, 2011 7, 2012 8, 2013 7, 2014 10, 2015 9, 2016 8, 2017 8, 2018 14, 2019 8, 2020 4, 2021 9, 2022 6, 2023 18, 2024 14, 2025 13, 2026 5. 6 12 18 24 0 8 '08 8 '09 11 '10 7 '11 8 '12 7 '13 10 '14 9 '15 8 '16 8 '17 14 '18 8 '19 4 '20 9 '21 6 '22 20 '23 16 '24 15 '25 15 '26
Composition

Phase of flight

Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.

11 categories Total 174
Landing 49
Enroute 26
Takeoff 25
Approach 24
Taxi 20
Initial climb 15
Maneuvering 9
Prior to flight 2
Standing 2
Emergency descent 1
Unknown 1
Causes

Finding category

Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.

NTSB top-level codes Total 489
Personnel issues 198
Aircraft 168
Environmental issues 116
Not determined 5
Organizational issues 2
Outcomes

Injury severity

NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.

Highest per accident Total 175
None 129
Fatal 22
Minor 14
Serious 10

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (175)· NUSN (6)· 135 (2)· 129 (1)

Recorded Accidents

All 175 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
Louisville, KY N2184X Substantial None Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues
Salem, SD N75191 Substantial Fatal Maneuvering Personnel issues
Blairsville, GA N6143J Substantial Fatal Approach Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Cornelia, GA N839AL Substantial None Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Chandler, AZ N9299B Substantial None Standing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Chandler, AZ N419PA Minor None Standing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
New Market, VA N68DW Substantial None Initial climb Aircraft
Porterville, CA N8172N Substantial Minor Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Tat Momoli, AZ N4139A Substantial None Enroute Aircraft
Point Lookout, MO N7635F Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Oregon, WI N9267H Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Wickenburg, AZ N430PA Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Wickenburg, AZ N922PA Substantial None Approach Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Tucson, AZ N4400W Substantial None Taxi Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft
Phoenix, AZ N297PA Substantial None Approach Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Chesapeake, VA N5646V Substantial None Initial climb Environmental issues, Personnel issues, Aircraft
Chandler, AZ N915PA Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Denver, CO N2146R Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Waterford, OH N793MA Destroyed Fatal Approach Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Fort Myers, FL N199PA Destroyed Fatal Initial climb Not determined
Hartford, CT N9763K Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Bristow, VA N8304F Substantial None Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Gila Bend, AZ N288PA Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Phoenix, AZ N309PA Substantial None Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Upland, CA N6912C Substantial Fatal Enroute Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues

Page 4 of 7 (showing accidents 76–100 of 175).

Data presented on this website is sourced directly from official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. To ensure accuracy, we try not to correct issues such as improper punctuation, spelling errors, empty fields, or unusual labels like "SALE REPORTED" for a registrant. We make every effort to present information as it appears in the FAA database. This website is not affiliated with any government agency.