How many accidents has the Cessna 172 had?

The NTSB has recorded 6810 events involving the Cessna 172: 960 fatal, 542 serious, 1048 minor injuries, and 4223 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172 has 6810 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

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 19, 1992	PIQUA, OH	N78483	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Jul 18, 1992	LAKE MICHIGAN, MI	N4500E	Fatal (4)	destroyed	UNDETERMINED.
Jul 15, 1992	BATES CITY, MO	N1324E	Incident	substantial	TOTAL FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE WINDSHIELD.
Jul 13, 1992	BEDFORD, PA	N61941	Serious (4)	destroyed	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.
Jul 11, 1992	SANFORD, FL	N2135E	Minor	substantial	INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID OF THE POWER LINE. THE PROXIMITY OF THE POWER LINE WAS A R… INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID OF THE POWER LINE. THE PROXIMITY OF THE POWER LINE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jul 11, 1992	DELTA, UT	N9871G	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF AN INTAKE VALVE AND THE POORLY EXECUTED FORCED LANDING.
Jul 11, 1992	AUBURN, WA	N8348B	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND THE IMPROPER USE OF BRAKES BY THE CFI. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE DUAL … THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND THE IMPROPER USE OF BRAKES BY THE CFI. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT TO TOUCHDOWN PROPERLY.
Jul 11, 1992	AUBURN, AL	N9768T	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AS A RESULT OF HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Jul 09, 1992	WAUKEGAN, IL	N98673	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRPLANE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND IMPROPER … THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRPLANE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND IMPROPER AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Jul 07, 1992	ST PAUL, MN	N6376F	Fatal (4)	destroyed	INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RE… INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RELIEVING CONTROLLERS TO USE THE RADAR DISPLAY TO IDENTIFY AND SEQUENCE AN AIRPLANE ENTERING THE PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE BRIEFING BY THE OFF-GOING CONTROLLER, AND INACCURATE POSITION REPORTS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N5279R.
Jul 05, 1992	AGUA CALIENTE, CA	N78669	Minor	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROU… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Jul 04, 1992	BROOMFIELD, CO	N128FR	Incident	substantial	FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Jul 04, 1992	CHESTERFIELD, MO	N734VF	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT BRAKE SYSTEM BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Jul 03, 1992	TONOPAH, NV	N4417L	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY IDENTIFY AND COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING TAILWIND CONDITIONS, AND, HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A GO AROUND WHEN HE … THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY IDENTIFY AND COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING TAILWIND CONDITIONS, AND, HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A GO AROUND WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF BEING HIGH WITH A FAST GROUND SPEED.
Jun 30, 1992	LAKE HAVASU, AZ	N6496E	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS AND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Jun 27, 1992	HUNTSVILLE, AL	N8198L	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP, AND THE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PREVAILING… THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP, AND THE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PREVAILING TAILWIND AT THE AIRSTRIP.
Jun 26, 1992	HAYWARD, CA	N9447E	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S MISJUDGING THE LANDING FLARE, THE CFI'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION AND HIS FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT.
Jun 26, 1992	MCKINNON, WY	N6089A	Minor	destroyed	WATER IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WHICH WAS NOT PURGED AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDEN… WATER IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WHICH WAS NOT PURGED AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: TREES, A FENCE AND THE UNEVEN TERRAIN CONDITION DURING THE LANDING AND ROLLOUT.
Jun 14, 1992	WHEELING, IL	N62538	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER APPROACH TO LANDING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE THUNDERSTORM AND THE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED.
Jun 14, 1992	AUBURN, AL	N97883	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE, AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Jun 13, 1992	BLYTHE, CA	N8014L	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER ENGINE OVERHAUL PERFORMED BY THE MECHANIC. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE LEAKS AND THE SOFT TERRAI… THE IMPROPER ENGINE OVERHAUL PERFORMED BY THE MECHANIC. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE LEAKS AND THE SOFT TERRAIN.
Jun 13, 1992	LADYSMITH, WI	N52142	Serious (1)	destroyed	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THE ATTEMPTED ABORT OF THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ATTEMPT.
Jun 12, 1992	LIBERTY, MO	N5533A	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOU… THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Jun 11, 1992	CHINO HILLS, CA	N225EB	Fatal (3)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S POOR WEATHER EVALUATION AND INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Jun 11, 1992	ENGLEWOOD, CO	N65513	Minor	destroyed	AIRPLANE CLIMB CAPABILITY EXCEEDED AND AN INADVERTENT PILOT INDUCED STALL. FACTORS WERE: WEIGHT AND BALANCE EXCEEDED, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND IMPR… AIRPLANE CLIMB CAPABILITY EXCEEDED AND AN INADVERTENT PILOT INDUCED STALL. FACTORS WERE: WEIGHT AND BALANCE EXCEEDED, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL.

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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Cessna 172 Safety Record

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