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
Jan 12, 1990	MESA, AZ	N739BB	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COMPENSATE FOR GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Jan 10, 1990	STAUNTON, VA	N8488U	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING.
Jan 08, 1990	RENO, NV	N7878T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO AR… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO ARRIVE AT WORK ON TIME, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL PILOT EXPERIENCE.
Jan 07, 1990	KILLEN, AL	N7401X	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING CRUISE FLIGHT.
Jan 07, 1990	ST CLOUD, MN	N97984	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE LIGHT POLE. THE LOCATION OF THE POLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RELA… INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE LIGHT POLE. THE LOCATION OF THE POLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RELATED FACTOR.
Jan 06, 1990	NEWARK, IL	N98923	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE WET CONDITION OF THE GRASS RUNWAY WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jan 05, 1990	ASTATULA, FL	N6290R	Incident	substantial	LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON DURING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING.
Jan 04, 1990	HAMMOND, LA	N3531S	Minor	destroyed	PILOT IN COMMAND'S INITIATION AND CONTINUATION OF THE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO LAND PRIOR T… PILOT IN COMMAND'S INITIATION AND CONTINUATION OF THE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO LAND PRIOR TO RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXERCISE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND HIS DISREGARD FOR THE FEDERAL AIR REGULATIONS.
Jan 03, 1990	APPLE VALLEY, CA	N12963	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE MOONEY TO STOP HIS AIRCRAFT IN A TIMELY MANNER TO AVOID A COLLISION.
Dec 29, 1989	MERIDIAN, MS	N733FK	Fatal (1)	destroyed	IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWA… IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWARD INSTRUMENT FLYING AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.
Dec 28, 1989	BROOMFIELD, CO	N75702	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. THE SNOWBANK WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Dec 27, 1989	BILLINGS, MT	N53432	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS.
Dec 26, 1989	MIDDLETOWN, OH	N65673	Incident	substantial	THE INABILITY TO ESTABLISH A SUFFICIENT CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF.CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERINECE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRC… THE INABILITY TO ESTABLISH A SUFFICIENT CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF.CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERINECE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Dec 26, 1989	WASHINGTON TWP, NJ	N3353E	Fatal (3)	destroyed	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO V… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING.
Dec 25, 1989	SALEM, OR	N21543	Incident	substantial	THE PILOTS INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE: THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION AND THE POLE.
Dec 23, 1989	BYRON, CA	N8218B	Minor	destroyed	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JU… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITH A 700-FOOT CEILING.
Dec 21, 1989	NORDLAND, WA	N2228E	Fatal (2)	destroyed	UNDETERMINED.
Dec 18, 1989	ROMEOVILLE, IL	N9562B	Incident	substantial	DUAL STUDENT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND REMEDIAL ACTION NOT ATTAINED BY THE CFI. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A SNOW B… DUAL STUDENT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND REMEDIAL ACTION NOT ATTAINED BY THE CFI. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A SNOW BANK ADJACENT THE RUNWAY.
Dec 14, 1989	MONTEREY, CA	N739EQ	Incident	substantial	PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT'S WING TIP & THE FUEL TRUCK. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PROXIMITY OF THE VEHICLE (FUEL T… PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT'S WING TIP & THE FUEL TRUCK. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PROXIMITY OF THE VEHICLE (FUEL TRUCK).
Dec 10, 1989	MIDDLETON, WI	N75912	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS TO PROVIDE LIFT ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH INSTEAD OF APPLYING POWER AND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Dec 09, 1989	LINDEN, MI	N1326U	Fatal (4)	destroyed	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE ABOV… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.
Dec 09, 1989	UXBRIDGE, MA	N4289L	Serious (2)	destroyed	ICE IN THE FUEL STRAINER, WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW & RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION, AND THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE, WHEN HE ABRUPTLY… ICE IN THE FUEL STRAINER, WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW & RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION, AND THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE, WHEN HE ABRUPTLY MANEUVERED IT TO AVOID A TRANSMISSION WIRE DURING A FORCED LANDING.
Dec 07, 1989	ATLANTIC OCEAN, AO	N8785B	Fatal (1)	destroyed	THE ENGINE SEIZED FROM OIL STARVATION (LACK OF OIL OR OIL PRESSURE), WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DITCHED AT SEA.
Dec 03, 1989	COLORADO SPGS, CO	N6251E	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH THE FUEL MIXTURE FULL RICH, WITH A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DU… THE PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH THE FUEL MIXTURE FULL RICH, WITH A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB.
Dec 02, 1989	SAVOY, IL	N3783L	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: … IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE ADVERSE WIND 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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Cessna 172 Safety Record

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