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
Jan 03, 2004 Hayfork, CA N390BV Incident substantial the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision to attempt a landing on a snow covered runway without ascertaining the depth of the snow cover.
Jan 03, 2004 Redlands, CA N5184F Incident substantial
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing gusty crosswind condition, and his failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors…

the pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing gusty crosswind condition, and his failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors were a crosswind and wind gusts.

Dec 30, 2003 Lamentin, MB N8547X Incident substantial Investigation pending
Dec 29, 2003 Angels Camp, CA N461BD Incident substantial
the CFI's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition, which resulted in the loss of directional control. The crosswind and wind gusts were fac…

the CFI's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition, which resulted in the loss of directional control. The crosswind and wind gusts were factors.

Dec 27, 2003 Bluffton, OH N363SA Incident substantial The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Dec 26, 2003 Vacaville, CA N7668G Fatal (1) the pilot's inadequate hand prop starting procedure.
Dec 26, 2003 Elk City, ID N1363U Serious (2) substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during a go-around. Factors include dark night conditions and trees.
Dec 26, 2003 Atlanta, GA N26486 Incident substantial The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing. A factor is lack of total experience.
Dec 25, 2003 Key West, FL N4721R Incident substantial
Pilot's improper emergency landing gear extension procedure which resulted in the right main landing gear not locking in the down position subsequent …

Pilot's improper emergency landing gear extension procedure which resulted in the right main landing gear not locking in the down position subsequent right main landing gear collapsing on landing.

Dec 23, 2003 Shiona, EC HC-BAS Fatal (1) destroyed Investigation pending
Dec 23, 2003 Lake Charles, LA N111TK Incident substantial
The disintegration of the piston, which resulted in the catastrophic failure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain fo…

The disintegration of the piston, which resulted in the catastrophic failure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Dec 21, 2003 Grand Saline, TX N78189 Fatal (2) substantial The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach. Factors were the high winds and prevailing crosswind.
Dec 08, 2003 Snelling, CA N739SU Incident substantial The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation caused by the failure of the engine driven oil pump.
Dec 07, 2003 Watsonville, CA N396TA Incident substantial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Dec 05, 2003 Chugiak, AK N2459L Incident substantial
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing/takeoff area, and his failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a stu…

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing/takeoff area, and his failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a stump, and subsequent loss of control. Factors associated with the accident were snow-covered terrain and a stump.

Dec 04, 2003 Nogales, AZ N5216J Incident substantial The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain directional control.
Nov 29, 2003 Wikieup, AZ N518ER Incident substantial
The pilot's selection of an en route altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance, and resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. …

The pilot's selection of an en route altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance, and resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. The rising terrain and the blind/box canyon were contributing factors.

Nov 26, 2003 Wichita Falls, TX N8058L Minor destroyed The loss of engine power due to an obstruction in the fuel line.
Nov 24, 2003 Fountain Hills, AZ N97056 Minor substantial
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate altitude during a go-around following a simulated forced landing, which resulted in an …

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate altitude during a go-around following a simulated forced landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.

Nov 22, 2003 Hickory, NC N61924 Incident substantial The CFI inadequate supervision, and failure to maintain directional control during the attempted touch-and-go landing.
Nov 21, 2003 Orlando, FL N378FA Incident substantial The student pilots improper landing flare and his improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.
Nov 21, 2003 La Grange, TX N739YK Minor substantial The pilot's failure to properly navigate during the day VFR cross-country flight, which resulted in the pilot becoming disoriented.
Nov 13, 2003 Islip, NY N5329T Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in a nose over. A factor in this accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Nov 10, 2003 Mannheim, GE N6473D Incident substantial Investigation pending
Nov 09, 2003 Philippi, WV N738UL Minor substantial The pilot's improper decision to depart from a runway of insufficient length. Factors in the accident were the turf runway and tailwind condition.
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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