Columbia 400 (LC41-550FG)

Buyer context and ownership considerations

Evaluate the Columbia 400’s individual configuration and records before relying on headline performance.

What to verify on the aircraft

• Keep altitude, power, fuel and equipment conditions attached to every published performance figure.
• Review composite repairs, engine and turbocharger condition and installed equipment with suitable inspection providers.
• Check current AD applicability and documented compliance for the actual aircraft; obtain current parts, training and insurance information.

Use the source-tagged specifications below as research context. Retain the stated model, serial, configuration, units and source limitations. NOT VERIFIED means further evidence is needed.

Identification

Manufacturer

Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. (formerly Lancair), Bend, OR [Secondary]

Tc Holder

Textron Aviation Inc. [EASA-TCDS]

Model Designation

LC41-550FG [EASA-TCDS]/[FAA-FR]

Marketing Name

Columbia 400 (later Cessna 400 Corvalis TT / TTx) [Secondary]

Aircraft Class

Twin-turbocharged fixed-gear 4-seat composite single; FAR 23 Utility [EASA-TCDS]

Type Certificated

Original type-cert date (FAA) April 8, 2004 (corrected; LC41/400 certified AFTER the LC42/350) [EASA-TCDS]/[Secondary]

Production Years

First flew June 2000; certified Apr 2004; built through 2007 (Columbia era) [Secondary]

Total Built

~450-650 airframes (largest cohort; includes Columbia 400 + Cessna 400 Corvalis TT + ~320 TTx) [FAA-AD]/[Estimate]

Serial Generation Breaks

SN 41001-41108, 41501-41533, 41563-41800, 411001-411161 [FAA-AD]

Variants Covered

Columbia 400; Cessna 400 / Corvalis TT; Cessna TTx / Model T240 [EASA-TCDS]/[Secondary]

Powerplant

Engine Make Model

Teledyne Continental TSIO-550-C (single engine, two turbochargers) [EASA-TCDS]/[Secondary]

Rated Hp

310 hp @ 2600 rpm [EASA-TCDS]/[POH/AFM]

Num Engines

1 / twin-turbocharged (NOT a twin-engine aircraft) [EASA-TCDS]/[Secondary]

Aspiration

Twin-turbocharged [EASA-TCDS]/[Secondary]

Propeller

Hartzell HC-H3YF-1RF/F7693DF (or F7693DFK), 3-blade constant-speed, 77-78 in dia (McCauley D3A34C447/78MLB-0 also approved) [EASA-TCDS]

Tbo Hr

2,000 hr (OEM); planephd assumes 1,700 hr for cost - verify against Continental SB [OEM]/[Secondary]

Fuel Type

100/100LL minimum [EASA-TCDS]

Fuel Total Gal

106 US gal [EASA-TCDS]

Fuel Usable Gal

102 US gal [EASA-TCDS]

Oil Qt

8.0 qt (7.6 L) drainable [EASA-TCDS]

Weights

Mtow Lb

3,600 lb (1,633 kg) [EASA-TCDS]

Max Ramp Lb

3,600 lb (1,633 kg) [EASA-TCDS]

Max Landing Lb

3,420 lb (1,551 kg) [EASA-TCDS]

Empty Weight Typical Lb

~2,485 lb (OEM brochure) / 2,500 lb (POH) / ~2,575 lb w/o de-ice (Cessna era) [OEM]/[Secondary]

Useful Load Typical Lb

~1,115 lb (OEM); payload w/ full fuel only ~391 lb (the well-known turbo trade-off) [OEM]

Max Baggage Lb

120 lb total (20 lb hat shelf); ~20 cu ft [EASA-TCDS]/[OEM]

Cg Range

Fwd straight-line from 105.0 in @2,600-2,900 lb to 108.8 in @3,600 lb; Aft 112.0 in @2,900-3,600 lb [EASA-TCDS]

Datum

Wing-saddle LE 97.05 in aft of reference datum [EASA-TCDS]

Dimensions

Wingspan

~36 ft 0-1 in [OEM]

Length

~25 ft 1 in [OEM]

Height

9 ft 0 in [OEM]

Wing Area Sqft

141.2 sq ft [OEM]

Cabin Width In

49 in (height 49 in; cabin length ~11 ft 7 in) [OEM]

Seating

4 [EASA-TCDS]

Landing Gear

Fixed tricycle (castering nosewheel) [Secondary]

Performance

Max Cruise Ktas

Max level/top speed 235 KTAS @ 25,000 ft, 85% power, ~50degF ROP, ~24-24.5 GPH (oxygen required); high cruise 230 KTAS @ 18,000 ft DA; 193 KTAS @75%/9,000 ft; real-world oxygen-free ~170-190 KTAS [OEM]/[Secondary]

Vne Kias

Vne 230 KIAS / 235 KCAS (POH; decreasing above 12,000 ft) - a POH value, not a TCDS value [OEM]/[POH/AFM]

Vno Kias

181 KIAS [EASA-TCDS]

Va Kias

158 KIAS [EASA-TCDS]

Vs0

59 KIAS [OEM]

Vs1

72 KIAS [OEM]

Roc Sl Fpm

1,285 fpm @ 3,600 lb [OEM]

Service Ceiling Ft

25,000 ft (= service = absolute = max operating; oxygen-system limited) [OEM]/[POH/AFM]

Takeoff Over50 Ft

1,800 ft (ground roll 1,200 ft; SL, std, gross) [OEM]

Landing Over50 Ft

2,580 ft (ground roll 1,200 ft) [OEM]

Max Range Nm

~1,107 nm (globalair; no clean single OEM 'max range' - treat as approximate) [Secondary]

Endurance Hr

3.7 hr (75%) -> 5.9 hr (55%) @9,000 ft, std fuel, 45-min reserve [OEM]

Fuel Burn Gph

14 gph (55%) / 17 (65%) / 21 (75%) / ~24-24.5 (85%/max) [OEM]/[Secondary]

Avionics Systems

Avionics By Era

Columbia 400: Avidyne Entegra; later Garmin G1000 (Cessna era) [Secondary]

Autopilot

S-TEC / Avidyne-integrated (Columbia era) [Secondary]

Notable Systems

Side-stick; optional speed brakes; electric 'E-Vade' (Kelly Thermawing) de-ice - NOT known-ice, deactivated per AD 2006-25-08; oxygen for FL250; no pressurization; no parachute [Secondary]

Common Stcs

Avidyne Entegra are common Garmin-retrofit / ADS-B-Out candidates; no popular gross-weight-increase STC found (already Utility category, +4.4 g) [Secondary]/[Estimate]

Known Issues

Composite-repair complexity/scarce shops; 'wheel walk'/aft-fuselage damage from hard braking; nosewheel shimmy; COM1 weakness (belly antennas); turbo maintenance burden; payload-with-full-fuel limitation (~391 lb); parts availability post-2018 [Secondary]/[OEM]

Certification

Certification and AD entries are research references, not a compliance determination. Review current applicability and the individual aircraft’s compliance records with a qualified provider.

Tcds Number

A00003SE [EASA-TCDS]/[FAA-FR]

Tcds Revision

NOT VERIFIED - needs FAA primary (EASA equivalent Issue 05, 21 Jun 2018) [EASA-TCDS]

Certification Basis

14 CFR Part 23, Utility - FAR 23 amended 23-1 through 23-46, except 23.1305 (thru 23-52) and 23.1359 (thru 23-49); FAA SC 23-160-SC [FAA-FR]

Notable Ads

Family ADs: 2007-07-06 (flight-control linear bearings/rods - originated on an LC41), 2009-09-09 (rudder hinges), 2013-11-10 (brakes/'wheel-walk'); Wing-spar disbond Emergency AD 2010-26-53/54 (LC41/LC42 - affected only ~7 Cessna 400s + 1 Cessna 350 on the production line, NO in-service customer aircraft); E-Vade de-ice deactivation AD 2006-25-08 [FAA-AD]/[Secondary]

Pricing and ownership costs

Request a current, aircraft-specific market and ownership review. Historical price ranges, operating-cost estimates and insurance examples have not been refreshed for this launch and are omitted here.

Ask for current comparable-aircraft evidence and separate quotes for insurance, maintenance, training, hangar and financing where relevant.

Data notice

Data as of June 2026. Certified data per FAA TCDS A00003SE; verify the current revision at drs.faa.gov. Market figures approximate.

Published model data does not replace review of a specific aircraft’s serial, installed equipment, logbooks, and approved performance documents. No HPA inspection or aircraft-specific review is implied.