Piper PA-28-236 Dakota

Piper introduced the PA-28-236 Dakota in 1978 as the tapered-wing successor to the PA-28-235 Pathfinder. The Dakota used the same six-cylinder Lycoming O-540 engine class as the 235, but with a refined variant (O-540-J3A5D) and the tapered wing pioneered on the Warrior (1977) and Archer (1976). The combination delivered slightly faster cruise on similar fuel burn plus cabin and equipment refinements compared to the Pathfinder.

Production ran from 1978 through 1994 with steady refinements. Piper paused production multiple times during the 1980s and 1990s as GA market demand fluctuated. Some Dakotas were built in limited quantities during the 2000s. Total production was about 1,200 aircraft across all years, which is smaller than the Pathfinder predecessor (about 1,500 from 1974-1977 alone) but spread across a longer production timeline.

The Dakota name continued informally even after production ended, with the PA-28-236 designation remaining current. Piper Owner Society covers the Dakota with substantial type-specific knowledge. The Dakota is the volume four-seat big-engine Cherokee in the post-Pathfinder used market and is the right cross-shop target against the Cessna 182 for buyers wanting modern airframe refinements over the older PA-28-235 lineage.

The Dakota cruises at about 138 KTAS at 75% power, burning 13 gph of 100LL. At long-range cruise (65%), the airplane drops to about 128 KTAS on 11 gph. The Dakota is roughly 8 to 10 knots faster than the PA-28-235 Pathfinder at similar fuel burn due to the tapered-wing aerodynamic refinements. It's comparable in cruise to the Cessna 182 Skylane at the same fuel burn.

Useful load on a Dakota is about 1,300 to 1,400 pounds. Full fuel (72 gallons usable) leaves about 800 to 900 pounds for people and bags. Four adults of typical weight plus full luggage fit comfortably within gross. The Dakota's useful load is competitive with the Cessna 182. Range with reserves is about 800 nm at long-range cruise. Service ceiling is 17,500 ft on paper but the 235 hp engine gets thin above 8,000 ft DA at gross weight.

The Lycoming O-540-J3A5D is the engine on every PA-28-236 Dakota. It's a six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, direct-drive, carbureted piston rated at 235 hp at 2,400 RPM. Lycoming's published TBO is 2,000 hours per Lycoming Service Instruction 1009 BE. The O-540-J variant is one of the refined Lycoming six-cylinders and has strong fleet support through the broader O-540 family.

Field overhauls at Penn Yan, Gann Aviation, or other reputable Lycoming shops run $42,000 to $58,000 in 2026 prices. The O-540-J3A5D is meaningfully more expensive to overhaul than the smaller O-360 family but cheaper than turbocharged variants or IO-540 derivatives. The O-540 has decades of fleet history and universal shop support.

Oil consumption on a healthy O-540-J3A5D runs about 0.3 to 0.5 quarts per hour. The engine reaches TBO routinely when operated regularly. Cylinder work at top-overhaul intervals (around 1,100 to 1,400 hours on hard-flown engines) runs $3,000 to $4,500 per cylinder. The six cylinders mean a top overhaul is a substantial expense if it surfaces, but the O-540-J has a strong fleet history with most engines reaching TBO.

Plan on $170 to $235 per flight hour at 100 hours a year of utilization, all-in. The Dakota's operating economics are comparable to the Cessna 182 and slightly better than the Pathfinder predecessor. Fuel and oil run about $72 to $92 per hour at 13 gph and $5.50 to $7 for 100LL. Engine overhaul reserve is $21 to $29 per hour based on a $42,000 to $58,000 overhaul amortized across the 2,000-hour TBO. Airframe maintenance reserve is $18 to $30 per hour.

Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection) add another $45 to $80 per hour at 100 hours a year of utilization. Insurance is moderate. Hull values are reasonable. First-time owners pay $2,200 to $4,000 a year typically. The Dakota is partnership-friendly for groups of two or three pilots.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026: Earlier Dakotas (1978-1985) with mid-time engines and original panels run $115,000 to $160,000. Later Dakotas (1986-1994) with fresh engines and modern Garmin panels run $150,000 to $200,000. Limited late-production Dakotas (post-1994) trade at premiums over earlier aircraft. Aircraft with documented engine and panel work in recent years trade at premiums to high-time examples.

Piper Owner Society covers the Dakota with substantial type-specific knowledge. Annual dues are about $80. The Dakota has accumulated decades of fleet-specific knowledge in the type-club community. Most maintenance and pre-buy decisions benefit from POS consultation.