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How to Buy a Cessna 425 Corsair / Conquest I: Buyer's Guide
A pressurized, PT6-powered cabin-class twin that offers King Air-type mission capability at piston-twin-upgrade prices, if you budget for turbine maintenance.
Updated October 2026 · Market data from 8 live fyiAero listings, the FAA registry and NTSB records
Overview
The Cessna 425 is the small turboprop of the Conquest family. Cessna built it in the early-to-mid 1980s by taking the proven 421-series cabin and pressurization layout and pairing it with a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops. It launched as the Corsair and was renamed Conquest I a couple of years into production, which put it alongside the larger 441 Conquest II. Production was short, so it is a niche airplane. The FAA registry shows 161 on the U.S. registry.
For owners stepping up from a 340, 414 or 421, the appeal is simple. You get turbine reliability, jet fuel, a pressurized cabin, and a cruise speed fyiAero's operating model puts at about 243 knots with roughly 1,200 nm of range. Many owners describe it as flying like a big Cessna twin. That familiarity is a real advantage at transition time.
The market is thin. At the time of writing, fyiAero listings show 8 aircraft for sale, mostly marketed as Conquest I. Asking prices run from $620,000 to $1,895,000, with a median of $929,500. With so few airplanes trading, each one has to be judged on its engine times, maintenance history and avionics rather than on a market average.
Who it's for. The 425 suits an owner-flown or professionally flown business or family mission of roughly 300 to 1,000 nm, with up to about five passengers. It works well where you want to get above the weather and avoid avgas availability and piston-engine worries. It is a logical step for a pilot already comfortable in pressurized piston twins. Insurers will want to see substantial multi-engine time, ideally some turbine time, and initial plus recurrent simulator or approved in-type training. Low-time or turbine-new pilots should expect higher premiums, a mentor-pilot requirement for an initial period, or both. Get insurance quotes before you sign a purchase agreement, not after.
Generations and variants
| Version | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 425 Corsair | 1981-1982 | These are the original production aircraft with PT6A turboprops on a 421-derived pressurized cabin. Most early airframes in today's market have higher times and older panels, so engine and avionics status drive price far more than the name on the data plate. |
| 425 Conquest I | 1983-1986 | This is the same basic airplane rebranded to align with the Conquest II, with running refinements through the end of production. Later serials are scarcer and tend to command more, as the top-of-market 1985 listing on fyiAero shows. Confirm exactly which factory changes and STCs a specific airframe has. |
What a Cessna 425 Corsair / Conquest I costs to buy
7 priced listings on fyiAero right now ask between $620,000 and $1,895,000, with a median of $929,500 and a median of 5,134 hours total time. Against fyiEstimate, 2 are priced below estimate, 0 within range and 5 above.
- Expect a wide spread. fyiAero listings range from $620,000 to $1,895,000, with a median ask of $929,500 and an average pre-owned figure around $895,000.
- Year matters, but not linearly. 1981 listings average about $912,125 (4 aircraft), 1984 about $1,034,500 (2), and the single 1985 listing is asking $1,895,000. That top figure likely reflects upgrades and engine status as much as model year.
- Airframe hours move price noticeably. Listings with 3,000-5,000 hours show a median near $1,250,000, versus about $889,250 for those over 5,000 hours. The overall listed median is 5,134 hours.
- Price the engines first. Time since overhaul, time since hot section, and whether the engines are on a maintenance program can swing value by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Discount mid-time engines accordingly.
- With only 8 for sale against a 161-aircraft fleet, good examples move quietly. Be ready with financing, insurance quotes and a pre-buy shop lined up before you make an offer.
Average asking price by model year
Median asking price by airframe time
| 3,000–5,000 hrs | $1,250,000 | 3 listings |
| 5,000+ hrs | $889,250 | 4 listings |
Pre-buy inspection checklist
Have a shop that knows the type do the pre-buy, and ask them to research every applicable AD and service bulletin. Pay particular attention to:
- Engine trend data and borescope. Ask for trend monitoring history and borescope both PT6s, including the hot section. Rising ITT margins, compressor erosion or combustor distress can mean a hot section or overhaul bill far larger than any airframe squawk.
- Engine and prop times versus TBO and calendar limits. Verify time since overhaul and hot section, any TBO extensions or program enrollment, and propeller overhaul status, including calendar limits. Low-utilization airplanes often hit calendar limits before hours.
- Supplemental Inspection Document (SID) compliance. Cessna's 400-series twins carry supplemental structural inspection requirements as they age. Confirm what has been done, what is coming due, and any findings on wing, spar and attach structure.
- Corrosion survey. Check wing and fuselage structure, the belly, wheel wells and control surfaces, especially on coastal or long-tied-down airplanes. Corrosion repair on a pressurized airframe gets expensive fast.
- Pressurization system and leak check. Run a cabin leak-down test and inspect door seals, outflow and safety valves, controllers and the window condition. Leaks and controller faults are common and can be tedious to chase.
- Landing gear system. The retractable gear has many wear points: actuators, linkages, bushings, saddles, uplocks and downlocks. Do a full retraction test on jacks and review the gear overhaul and inspection history.
- Ice protection. Inspect wing and tail boots, prop deice, inlet anti-ice and windshield heat for function and condition. Known-ice capability is a big part of this airplane's utility, and boot replacement is costly.
- Starter-generators and electrical system. Check starter-generator times and overhaul records, battery condition, and bus and wiring health. Aging wiring and intermittent electrical gremlins are common on 1980s airframes.
- Logbooks, damage history and AD/SB research. Have the shop research all applicable ADs and service bulletins for the airframe, engines and props. Confirm recurring items are current and look for undisclosed damage history or incomplete records.
- Environmental and air conditioning systems. Bleed air heat, the vapor-cycle air conditioning, and the associated ducting and valves are often deferred on older airplanes. Repairs add up.
Popular upgrades
- Modern glass panel and navigators. Retrofitting Garmin or similar glass displays and current GPS navigators is the single biggest value-add buyers look for. Original-panel airplanes generally sit at the low end of the price range.
- Digital autopilot. Older autopilots are expensive to keep alive. Replacing one with a modern digital unit, where an STC exists, improves dispatch reliability and resale appeal.
- ADS-B Out, WAAS and datalink weather. ADS-B Out is now baseline, not a premium. Integrated traffic and weather, plus WAAS approach capability, help an airplane sell faster.
- Engine overhaul or program enrollment. Fresh overhauls or enrollment in an engine maintenance program can add more value than any cosmetic work. They also make financing and resale easier.
- Interior and paint refurbishment. A good interior matters to passengers, but it rarely returns its full cost. Treat it as a tiebreaker between otherwise similar airplanes.
Ownership costs
Plan for turbine-twin economics. fyiAero's operating model estimates variable costs of about $1,560 per flight hour, based on fuel burn near 86 gallons per hour plus engine reserves and maintenance. That works out to roughly $5.93 per nautical mile. At 325 hours a year, the model's total annual budget comes to about $744,600, including fixed costs such as insurance, hangar, training, recurring inspections and avionics subscriptions. Your actual numbers depend heavily on engine reserve assumptions, whether the engines are on a program, insurance rates for your experience level, and how much deferred maintenance you inherit. Keep a healthy cash reserve for the first year of ownership.
Safety record
NTSB records show 4 accidents involving the type over the last 10 years, one of them fatal and one aircraft destroyed. Against a U.S. fleet of 161, that equals about 24.8 accidents and 6.2 fatal accidents per 1,000 registered aircraft over the decade. With a fleet this small, a single event shifts the rate a lot, so read the numbers as context rather than a verdict. The main risk areas are typical of light turboprop twins: engine-failure handling at low speed and altitude, turbine engine management during starts, icing and weather decisions in a capable but not jet-fast airplane, and gear or systems mismanagement. Pilots coming from piston twins also have to adjust to turboprop power response. Recurrent simulator or in-type training each year is the best safety and insurance investment you can make.
Alternatives to consider
- Beechcraft King Air C90. It has wider parts and service support and stronger resale demand, but costs more to buy for a comparable year and is generally a bit slower.
- Piper Cheyenne II / IIXL. It offers similar PT6 twin capability, often at lower acquisition prices, but has a different systems legacy and support network to evaluate.
- Cessna 441 Conquest II. It is bigger, faster and longer-legged with Garrett engines, but costs more to buy and operate. It makes sense if you regularly fill the cabin or need more range.
- Piper Meridian / M500. This single-engine PT6 is cheaper to run and newer, but has a smaller cabin and lacks the redundancy some buyers and insurers prefer.
- Commander 690 / Jetprop series. It is fast and roomy with Garrett power and a loyal owner base, but the fleet is aging and has its own structural and support considerations.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Cessna 425 Conquest I cost?
Current fyiAero listings range from $620,000 to $1,895,000, with a median asking price of $929,500. Engine times, avionics and airframe hours explain most of the spread.
Is the Corsair the same airplane as the Conquest I?
Yes. Cessna introduced the 425 as the Corsair and later renamed it Conquest I to align it with the larger Conquest II. Value depends far more on condition and upgrades than on the name.
How many Cessna 425s are there?
The FAA registry shows 161 on the U.S. registry. fyiAero listings currently show 8 for sale, so choices are limited at any given time.
What does it cost per hour to operate?
fyiAero's operating model estimates variable costs of about $1,560 per hour, with fuel burn near 86 gallons per hour. The total annual budget comes to roughly $744,600 at 325 hours per year.
How fast and how far does it go?
fyiAero's operating model uses a cruise speed of about 243 knots and range of roughly 1,200 nm with seating for 5 passengers. Real-world numbers vary with load, altitude and reserves.
Do airframe hours really affect price much?
Yes. Listings with 3,000-5,000 hours show a median ask around $1,250,000, versus about $889,250 for airplanes over 5,000 hours. Engine status can matter even more, so compare both.
Cessna 425 Corsair / Conquest I for sale
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Prices, fleet and safety figures update automatically from fyiAero listings, the FAA aircraft registry and NTSB data. The editorial was written by fyiAero with AI assistance from that data and general type knowledge. It is not a substitute for a pre-buy inspection, title search or professional advice.
