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
Oct 31, 2002 Porter, TX N1317E Minor substantial The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Oct 29, 2002 St. Paul, MN N848SP Incident substantial The student pilot failed to maintain directional control. A factor was the runway sign.
Oct 27, 2002 Coral Springs, FL N6101F Fatal (2) destroyed The failure of the dual students and flight instructors on both N9840V and N6101F to see and avoid each other, which resulted in a midair collision.
Oct 25, 2002 Sebring, FL N267EP Serious (1) substantial
The student pilot's premature rotation and failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled de…

The student pilot's premature rotation and failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with the ground.

Oct 24, 2002 Morristown, NJ N4599D Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Oct 17, 2002 Opa Locka, FL N903WA Incident substantial
The pilot' inadequate evaluation of weather information, and the selection of the wrong runway that resulted in an attempted takeoff with a tailwind a…

The pilot' inadequate evaluation of weather information, and the selection of the wrong runway that resulted in an attempted takeoff with a tailwind and the subsequent loss of control during takeoff.

Oct 17, 2002 Neenah, WI N46459 Incident substantial The pilot failed to maintain clearance from the post. Factors included the post and the sun glare.
Oct 15, 2002 Mount Sterling, KY N6413J Fatal (2) destroyed
The failure of the pilot to follow the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in an early descent into an antenna tower. A factor wa…

The failure of the pilot to follow the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in an early descent into an antenna tower. A factor was the low ceiling.

Oct 13, 2002 Pompano Beach, FL N6542J Incident substantial The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Oct 11, 2002 San Antonio, TX N7616G Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind resulting in a loss of directional control. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.
Oct 10, 2002 Belwaarde, NS PZ-NAI Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
Oct 06, 2002 Broomfield, CO N65312 Incident substantial
the pilot misjudging the clearance between the airplane and a fixed object during taxi. Contributing factors were the pilot's attention being diverted…

the pilot misjudging the clearance between the airplane and a fixed object during taxi. Contributing factors were the pilot's attention being diverted and sunglare.

Oct 05, 2002 Fish Lake, MN N713SX Incident substantial The altitude/clearance not maintained while maneuvering on short final for landing on the lake. The glassy water was a contributing factor.
Sep 30, 2002 Medford, OR N514SP Fatal (2) substantial Terrain clearance was not maintained during cruise flight. Dark night and mountainous terrain were factors.
Sep 26, 2002 Billings, MT N6525R Incident substantial The failure of the landing gear actuator during landing as a result of fatigue.
Sep 26, 2002 Greenwood, IL N3510A Incident substantial
The CFI's poor inflight planning/decision to allow the airplane to get to too low of an altitude to assure a safe recovery from the simulated forced l…

The CFI's poor inflight planning/decision to allow the airplane to get to too low of an altitude to assure a safe recovery from the simulated forced landing. Factors associated with the accident were the student pilot's delay initiating the go around and the corn crop which the airplane contacted.

Sep 22, 2002 Weed, CA N2469L Minor substantial The pilot's failure to follow adequate hand propping engine starting procedures.
Sep 21, 2002 Boyne Falls, MI N784SA Incident substantial The pilot's improper flare during landing.
Sep 21, 2002 Bumpass, VA N737TG Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. A factor was the narrow runway width.
Sep 21, 2002 DEL MAR, CA N6303V Incident substantial
The loss of engine power due to failure of the number three connecting rod cap. Also causal was the failure of the pilot of a previous flight to repo…

The loss of engine power due to failure of the number three connecting rod cap. Also causal was the failure of the pilot of a previous flight to report an engine overspeed event precluding the performance of the appropriate maintenance inspection.

Sep 20, 2002 Lutz, FL N612CB Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout and clearance during taxi, which resulted in an on-ground collision with a building.
Sep 18, 2002 Edinburg, VA N5033H Serious (1) substantial A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Sep 18, 2002 Vail, AZ N2982U Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Sep 16, 2002 Sturtevant, WI N54091 Incident substantial The proper touchdown point not attained and the approach speed not obtained/maintained by the pilot.
Sep 10, 2002 Mocksville, NC N62602 Serious (2) substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff and initial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall and the subsequent collision with…

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff and initial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall and the subsequent collision with trees.

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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