Compare aircraft models
Up to four models side by side. Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
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- Cessna 421C
- Piper PA-31-310
- Cessna 414A
- Cessna 402
Comparison
4 models side by side: scroll sideways to see them all. The attribute names stay on the left.
| Cessna 421C | Piper PA-31-310 | Cessna 414A | Cessna 402 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | ||||
| Seats | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Landing gear | tricycle | tricycle | tricycle | tricycle |
| Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Engine | Continental GTSIO-520-L (geared, turbocharged) | Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (turbocharged) | Continental TSIO-520-NB (turbocharged) | Continental TSIO-520-E (turbocharged) |
| Horsepower | 375 hp | 310 hp | 310 hp | 300 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL | 100LL | 100LL | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 | FAR23 | CAR3 | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1976 | 1967 | 1978 | 1967 |
| Production end | 1985 | 1980 | 1985 | 1969 |
| Endorsements required | complex;high-performance;multi-engine;pressurized/high-altitude | complex;high-performance;multi-engine | complex;high-performance;multi-engine;pressurized/high-altitude | complex;high-performance;multi-engine |
| Performance | ||||
| Cruise speed | 240 KTAS | 200 KTAS | 200 KTAS | 209 KTAS |
| Range | 1,400 nm | 1,100 nm | 1,300 nm | 833 nm |
| Service ceiling | 30,200 ft | 26,300 ft | 30,800 ft | 26,180 ft |
| Climb rate | 1,940 ft/min | 1,445 ft/min | 1,580 ft/min | 1,610 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 79 KCAS | 66 KCAS | 75 KCAS | 69 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | 2,323 ft | 2,000 ft | 2,265 ft | 2,220 ft |
| Landing over 50 ft | 2,293 ft | 2,000 ft | 2,400 ft | 1,765 ft |
| Load and fuel | ||||
| Seats | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Useful load | 2,810 lb | 2,900 lb | 2,382 lb | 2,581 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 1,532 lb | 1,808 lb | 1,146 lb | 1,969 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 7,450 lb | 6,500 lb | 6,750 lb | 6,300 lb |
| Empty weight | 4,640 lb | 3,600 lb | 4,368 lb | 3,719 lb |
| Usable fuel | 213 gal | 182 gal | 206 gal | 102 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 43.5 gal/h | 36 gal/h | 36 gal/h | 34.8 gal/h |
| Cost of ownership | ||||
| Price, low | $100,000 | $155,000 | $250,000 | $100,000 |
| Price, high | $825,000 | $440,000 | $600,000 | $255,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 | 2026 | 2026 | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,200 h | 1,800 h | 1,400 h | 1,400 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $75,000 | $62,000 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $115,000 | $88,000 | $85,000 | $85,000 |
| The fleet and its record | ||||
| Registered, all time | 835 | 767 | 539 | 128 |
| Active fleet | 497 | 128 | 363 | 7 |
| Median year built | 1978.0 | 1972.0 | 1979.0 | 1967.5 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 23 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 9 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years1 | 46.28 | 31.25 | 16.53 | — |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active2 | 24.14 | 15.63 | 13.77 | — |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 133 | 21 | 111 | 0 |
| Transfers per 100 active3 | 26.76 | 16.41 | 30.58 | — |
| Airworthiness directives | 9 | 4 | 17 | 10 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rate confidence | ok | ok | ok | none |
| Peer scores | ||||
| Peer class | Fixed wing multi-engine, piston, 2 engines, 7+ seats | Fixed wing multi-engine, piston, 2 engines, 7+ seats | Fixed wing multi-engine, piston, 2 engines, 7+ seats | Fixed wing multi-engine, piston, 2 engines, 7+ seats |
| Accident record4 | 3.1 of 10 | 4.4 of 10 · scored on 21 years of events (fewer than 10 in the last 10) | 5 of 10 · scored on 21 years of events (fewer than 10 in the last 10) | — |
| Severity5 | 1.6 of 10 | 5.8 of 10 · scored on 21 years of events (fewer than 10 in the last 10) | 0.8 of 10 · scored on 21 years of events (fewer than 10 in the last 10) | — |
| Access6 | 2 of 10 | 0.7 of 10 | 1.3 of 10 | — |
| Support7 | 9.5 of 10 | 4.7 of 10 | 8.4 of 10 | 1.1 of 10 |
| Liquidity8 | 6.9 of 10 | 1.9 of 10 | 9.4 of 10 | — |
| Overall (sum of the categories shown)9 | 23.1 out of 50ranks 2 of 3 here | 17.5 out of 50ranks 3 of 3 here | 24.9 out of 50ranks 1 of 3 here | — |
- Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years: Cessna 421C, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 497 active; Piper PA-31-310, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 128 active; Cessna 414A, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 363 active.
- Personal-flying events per 1,000 active: Cessna 421C, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 497 active; Piper PA-31-310, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 128 active; Cessna 414A, per 1,000 active aircraft · base 363 active.
- Transfers per 100 active: Cessna 421C, per 100 active aircraft · base 497 active; Piper PA-31-310, per 100 active aircraft · base 128 active; Cessna 414A, per 100 active aircraft · base 363 active.
- Accident record: Cessna 421C, class median 15.87 · 17 models in class; Piper PA-31-310, class median 15.87 · 17 models in class; Cessna 414A, class median 15.87 · 17 models in class; Cessna 402, class median 15.87 · 17 models in class.
- Severity: Cessna 421C, class median 20.42; Piper PA-31-310, class median 20.42; Cessna 414A, class median 20.42; Cessna 402, class median 20.42.
- Access: Cessna 421C, class median 3,096.5; Piper PA-31-310, class median 3,096.5; Cessna 414A, class median 3,096.5; Cessna 402, class median 3,096.5.
- Support: Cessna 421C, class median 132.5; Piper PA-31-310, class median 132.5; Cessna 414A, class median 132.5; Cessna 402, class median 132.5.
- Liquidity: Cessna 421C, class median 23.08; Piper PA-31-310, class median 23.08; Cessna 414A, class median 23.08; Cessna 402, class median 23.08.
- Each of the five categories places the model within its peer class, from 0 (the worst of the class) to 10 (the best): a position among comparable models, not a grade. The overall score is the sum of the categories shown that are scored, out of 10 for each (50 when all five are); it is given only when at least 4 of the five are scored, and it can be set against another model's only when both are in the same peer class and scored on the same categories. When accident record and severity cannot be scored because the model has too few records, the other three give a partial score out of 30, labelled as such; it is never set against a full score.