Cessna 172 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 6810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.

6810

All Events

4223

Incidents

1048

Minor

542

Serious

960

Fatal (1802 fatalities)

Date Location Reg# Severity Damage Probable Cause
Jul 24, 1995 SPRINGFIELD, MO N55212 Incident substantial
improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his continued flight into adverse weather conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled altitud…

improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his continued flight into adverse weather conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled altitude deviation and collision with terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions.

Jul 24, 1995 TETERBORO, NJ N51081 Incident substantial the student pilot's improper flare which resulted in the airplane porpoising and the subsequent buckling of the firewall.
Jul 23, 1995 MAZAMA, WA N8627B Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed for the wind conditions during climbout. The gusty wind condition was a factor.
Jul 18, 1995 NAPA, CA N4915D Incident substantial
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft after one foot slipped off the rudder pedals, and his inadvertent application of a…

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft after one foot slipped off the rudder pedals, and his inadvertent application of asymmetrical brake forces.

Jul 18, 1995 MOTLEY, MN N53716 Incident substantial the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a soft field takeoff.
Jul 13, 1995 VASHON, WA N52139 Incident substantial THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CONNECTING ROD BOLT OVERLOAD FAILURE. THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.
Jul 13, 1995 PORTER, TX N3967Q Incident substantial THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED RESULTING IN OVERSHOOTING THE LANDING.
Jul 12, 1995 BAYBORO, NC N13547 Incident substantial THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PROCEDURE IN THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WITH NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
Jul 09, 1995 KOTZEBUE, AK N1426U Incident substantial FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION. THE UNFAVORABLE (STRONGER THAN FORECAST) HEADWIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jul 09, 1995 STORMVILLE, NY N734CG Incident substantial THE REPORTED POTHOLE IN THE RUNWAY.
Jul 02, 1995 STANLEY, ID N4319Q Incident substantial
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY, HIS IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDE…

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY, HIS IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT IS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Jul 02, 1995 NEW CUYAMA, CA N61602 Incident substantial
the pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, his premature rotation, and his failure to maintain directional control when the airc…

the pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, his premature rotation, and his failure to maintain directional control when the aircraft settled back onto the runway. The pilot's selection of a closed airport for the takeoff attempt was a factor.

Jun 29, 1995 WESTON, TX N9502D Incident substantial
THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQU…

THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S DECISION TO ALLOW THE SIMULATION TO CONTINUE TO SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE.

Jun 28, 1995 BRIDGEWATER, CT N9176H Incident substantial the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons resulting in a forced landing, and a subsequent collision with trees.
Jun 27, 1995 HOMEDALE, ID N4298C Incident substantial THE PILOT MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE DURING THE APPROACH. THE DOWNDRAFT WAS A FACTOR.
Jun 27, 1995 DELTA JUNCTION, AK N4804E Incident substantial THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN DRAGGING THE RIGHT WING AND SHEARING OFF THE NOSE GEAR.
Jun 24, 1995 GUSTAVUS, AK N84468 Incident substantial
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DIMINISHED NOSEWHEEL STEERING CAPABILITY DUE TO AN OVE…

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DIMINISHED NOSEWHEEL STEERING CAPABILITY DUE TO AN OVERINFLATED NOSEWHEEL STRUT.

Jun 23, 1995 YERINGTON, NV N5363T Incident substantial
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO ENTER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO SAFELY ESCAPE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS …

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO ENTER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO SAFELY ESCAPE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Jun 23, 1995 WAUSEON, OH N6403B Incident destroyed
The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain adequate altitude/clearance from obstacles during an attempted go-round. Related factors are the pilot's failur…

The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain adequate altitude/clearance from obstacles during an attempted go-round. Related factors are the pilot's failure to attain the planned approach and the improper go-around procedures.

Jun 22, 1995 ST CLOUD, MN N2027E Incident substantial
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE …

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW, AND INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT.

Jun 20, 1995 FACTORYVILLE, PA N4876F Incident substantial the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the subsequent hard landing by the student pilot.
Jun 18, 1995 HOUSTON, TX N6542F Incident substantial
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE A…

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

Jun 14, 1995 BROWNSVILLE, TN N54484 Incident substantial The pilot's improper in-flight decision to land on the wet, sod runway, and his failure to use all of the available runway for landing.
Jun 12, 1995 NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV N73927 Incident substantial The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. His misjudgment of the height above the runway during flare was a factor.
Jun 10, 1995 MUNCY VALLEY, PA N3070U Incident substantial
the non-instrument rated pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after inadvertently entering instrument meteorological conditions. The we…

the non-instrument rated pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after inadvertently entering instrument meteorological conditions. The weather conditions (haze and fog) were a factor in the accident.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.
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