Cessna 172 Safety Record
Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 6810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.
| Date | Location | Reg# | Severity | Damage | Probable Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 1991 | PRESCOTT, AZ | N251ER | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE DARK, NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION AND TO THE PILOT'…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE DARK, NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION AND TO THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF NIGHTTIME TAKEOFF OPERATION. |
| Sep 14, 1991 | ST GEORGE, UT | N2185E | Incident | substantial | IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT PILOT. THE CROSSWIND AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE WERE RELATED FACTORS. |
| Sep 13, 1991 | SUMMERTON, SC | N4184L | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE WET FIELD CO…THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE WET FIELD CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP. |
| Sep 12, 1991 | NORWOOD, MA | N71393 | Incident | substantial |
PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS REL…PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL, AND LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE. |
| Sep 11, 1991 | HESPERIA, CA | N97564 | Serious (3) | substantial |
A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO THE OPERATOR'S NON COMPLIANCE WITH A MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE ENGINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCID…A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO THE OPERATOR'S NON COMPLIANCE WITH A MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE ENGINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A SAFE LANDING. |
| Sep 08, 1991 | BULLHEAD CITY, AZ | N7031G | Serious (2) | destroyed |
1) A SHORT CIRCUIT, 2) ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD WHICH IGNITED THE CABIN INTERIOR, 3) INADEQUATE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION, AND 4) INSUFFICIENT ELECTRIC…1) A SHORT CIRCUIT, 2) ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD WHICH IGNITED THE CABIN INTERIOR, 3) INADEQUATE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION, AND 4) INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DESIGN STANDARDS. |
| Sep 05, 1991 | ARROYO GRANDE, CA | N739YG | Fatal (3) | destroyed | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE, AND CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. |
| Aug 31, 1991 | LAKE CITY, FL | N737VK | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A DEMONSTRATED DOWNWIND SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THIS RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL,…THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A DEMONSTRATED DOWNWIND SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THIS RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL, STALL, AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. |
| Aug 31, 1991 | BUTTE, MT | N2396E | Incident | substantial | UNFAVORABLE WINDS. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION AND LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. |
| Aug 31, 1991 | ENGLEWOOD, CO | N2417E | Incident | substantial | THE STUDENT PILOT MISJUDGED HIS LANDING FLARE. A FACTOR WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE. |
| Aug 28, 1991 | CORBETT, OR | N6LG | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, HIS DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TREES ON RISING TERR…THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, HIS DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TREES ON RISING TERRAIN. THE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS. |
| Aug 26, 1991 | FISHER, AR | N7043G | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA TO COMPUTE THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. |
| Aug 23, 1991 | EKLUTNA LAKE, AK | N98785 | Fatal (3) | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH TERRAIN. |
| Aug 23, 1991 | NASSAU, BF | N733SR | Incident | substantial | Investigation pending |
| Aug 22, 1991 | HARBOR SPRINGS, MI | N3891S | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS DELAY IN INITIATING THE GO-AROUND. |
| Aug 20, 1991 | EVERETT, WA | N738ET | Incident | substantial |
THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE TAXIWAY MARKER'S LACK OF FRANGIBILITY DUE TO I…THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE TAXIWAY MARKER'S LACK OF FRANGIBILITY DUE TO ITS CONSTRUCTION. |
| Aug 19, 1991 | MONTAGUE ISLAND, AK | N7966B | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN SELECTED FOR LANDING BY THE PILOT…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN SELECTED FOR LANDING BY THE PILOT, WHICH WAS LOOSE GRAVEL, ROUGH AND UNEVEN. |
| Aug 18, 1991 | HILO, HI | N5921R | Incident | substantial | FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A NON STANDARD PROPELLER FOR WHICH NO PERFORMANCE CHARTS WERE AVAILABLE. |
| Aug 16, 1991 | OAK HARBOR, WA | CGFTE | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT'S ALLOWING THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY BELOW THE STALL SPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION…THE PILOT'S ALLOWING THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY BELOW THE STALL SPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL RECENT EXPERIENCE. |
| Aug 16, 1991 | SANDUSKY, OH | N64834 | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE RPM WENT TO ZERO DUE TO A BROKEN TACHOMETER CABLE. HE DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POI…THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE RPM WENT TO ZERO DUE TO A BROKEN TACHOMETER CABLE. HE DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY. |
| Aug 13, 1991 | METROPOLIS, IL | N2339U | Incident | substantial | MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT NOT REMOVED (FOAM RUBBER) AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. |
| Aug 11, 1991 | MAGNOLIA, OH | N7594G | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE. |
| Aug 11, 1991 | KING CITY, CA | N7910X | Incident | substantial |
THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING, AND SUBSEQUE…THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING, AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER ON LANDING ROLL OUT. |
| Aug 06, 1991 | OTTUMWA, IA | N61568 | Fatal (2) | destroyed | IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE BY THE PILOT BY NOT MAINTAINING THE PROPER MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE ILS LOCALIZER AND GLIDEPATH. |
| Aug 04, 1991 | SLATON, TX | N7806U | Incident | substantial | FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S NUMBER THREE PISTON. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: COLLISION WITH A DITCH DURING THE LANDING ROLL. |