Piper PA-32-300

Aircraft Manufacturer: Piper

Model: PA-32-300

About the Piper PA-32-300

The Piper PA-32-300 holds the 11th-largest active fleet in Piper's lineup, and more than 900 of these airframes remain on the U.S. civil registry today. The model accounts for about 2% of Piper's active registered aircraft. Across all U.S. registry records ever held for the PA-32-300, about half have been deregistered.

On the safety record, the PA-32-300 carries a recorded accident rate of about 4.1 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years over the type's own FAA-registration exposure. Measured against its peer cohort of similar type, engine class, and seat range, the PA-32-300 sits at about the midpoint, where a higher percentile means a higher accident rate. The model therefore runs a higher accident rate than roughly half of comparable types and a lower rate than the rest. Of 83 recorded accidents for the PA-32-300, 20 were fatal.

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Piper
Manufacturer Serial Number 7103212
Model PA-32-300
Category Land
Aircraft Type Fixed wing single engine
Cruise Speed 126 MPH / 109 knots
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Reciprocating
Number of Engines 1 engine
Number of Seats 6 seats
Piper PA-32-300 Photo: — — public-domain via Wikimedia Commons Have a personal photo of the Piper PA-32-300? Contact us.

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.

100%
Identity Confirmed

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


42 exact, 41 recovered, 0 provisional

Methodology
83
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


20 fatal accidents.

24.1% of recorded accidents were fatal.

992
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


20,214

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
4.7%
Exposure
5.2%
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 – 2025 Total 83
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 83 observed): 2008 6, 2009 1, 2010 2, 2011 2, 2012 5, 2013 1, 2014 4, 2015 5, 2016 4, 2017 4, 2018 10, 2019 2, 2020 6, 2021 2, 2022 11, 2023 6, 2024 9, 2025 3. 4 8 12 16 0 6 '08 1 '09 2 '10 2 '11 5 '12 1 '13 4 '14 5 '15 4 '16 4 '17 10 '18 2 '19 6 '20 2 '21 11 '22 7 '23 10 '24 3 '25
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.

7 categories Total 83
Enroute 29
Approach 17
Landing 16
Takeoff 9
Initial climb 8
Taxi 2
Uncontrolled descent 2
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 223
Aircraft 94
Personnel issues 72
Environmental issues 47
Not determined 10
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 83
None 43
Fatal 20
Minor 12
Serious 8

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (83)· 135 (10)· NUSN (3)· NUSC (2)· UNK (1)

Recorded Accidents

All 83 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
Princeton, MN N2899N Substantial None Approach Aircraft, Personnel issues
Fountain Inn, SC N9583C Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Carlisle, PA N4468X Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Edisto Island, SC N475RT Substantial None Enroute Aircraft
Orcas Island, WA N33022 Substantial Serious Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft
Del Mar, CA N2843T Substantial None Initial climb Aircraft, Environmental issues
Circleville, OH N33DW Substantial None Prior to flight Aircraft
Silver Springs, NV N4132W Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Tallahassee, FL N4089R Substantial Minor Takeoff Aircraft
Eveleth, MN N4079R Destroyed Minor Enroute Aircraft
Fairbanks, AK N1409X Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Kingfisher, OK N711PF Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Venice, FL N5909V Destroyed Minor Taxi Aircraft
La Grande, OR N6300Z Destroyed Fatal Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Versailles, OH N4137W Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Bartow, FL N4592X Substantial Minor Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft
Hereford, TX N4078W Destroyed Serious Takeoff Personnel issues, Aircraft
Roanoke, TX N33354 Substantial Serious Initial climb Not determined
Wrangell, AK N3957X Substantial None Enroute Aircraft
Salisbury, NC N8440F Substantial None Enroute Aircraft, Not determined
Columbia, SC N41AL Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
West Milford, NJ N4153R Destroyed Fatal Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues
Pompano Beach, FL N54476 Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Reno, NV N4027W Substantial None Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues
Hinesville, GA N4326X Substantial Minor Approach Aircraft

Page 2 of 4 (showing accidents 26–50 of 83).

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.