Cessna 172 Safety Record
Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 6810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.
| Date | Location | Reg# | Severity | Damage | Probable Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 1989 | BREMERTON, WA | N63496 | Minor | destroyed | FUEL EXHAUSTION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. |
| Nov 20, 1989 | PORT ALLEN, LA | N13055 | Incident | substantial | FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/SERVICE OF THE AIRPLANE. |
| Nov 19, 1989 | MITCHELLVILLE, MD | N52491 | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. |
| Nov 18, 1989 | OSAGE CITY, KS | N20428 | Serious (2) | substantial |
THE PILOT MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT AND STATIC…THE PILOT MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT AND STATIC WIRES. |
| Nov 15, 1989 | MT MORRIS, IL | N2796U | Fatal (1) | destroyed |
VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE OVERCONFIDENCE AN…VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE OVERCONFIDENCE AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE OF THE PILOT. |
| Nov 13, 1989 | BRYCE CANYON, UT | CGPGA | Serious (1) | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE CLIMB SPEED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING IN THAT THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY CONS…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE CLIMB SPEED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING IN THAT THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY CONSIDER THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE EFFECT ON THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE. |
| Nov 11, 1989 | FABENS, TX | N7337G | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE DURING LANDING AND INADEQUATE RECOVERY FROM THE ENSUING BOUNCED LANDING. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR. |
| Nov 08, 1989 | SNOQUALMIE, WA | N73422 | Fatal (1) | destroyed | INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND POOR WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT. |
| Nov 06, 1989 | SAFFORD, AZ | N5624A | Fatal (2) | substantial |
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL SPEED AS HE TURNED AWAY FROM ASCENDING TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT'S INADEQUATE PERFORMA…THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL SPEED AS HE TURNED AWAY FROM ASCENDING TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT'S INADEQUATE PERFORMANCE RESULTING FROM IMPROPER GRADE OF FUEL AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN HIGH ALTITUDE OPERATIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. |
| Nov 01, 1989 | LARAMIE, WY | N4825V | Fatal (1) | destroyed |
THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AFTER THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT…THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AFTER THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM WHICH RENDERED THE VACUUM/GYRO INSTRUMENTS INOPERATIVE. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THIS FAILURE WAS THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S). |
| Oct 29, 1989 | LANSING, IL | N1316U | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (TAXIWAY/CONSTRUCTION AREA). THE STEEL MARKER POLES CONTRIBUTED TO THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE. |
| Oct 24, 1989 | KNIGHTDALE, NC | N737QG | Serious (1) | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING WITH NO ELECTRICAL POWER. |
| Oct 21, 1989 | DEL NORTE, CO | N1639F | Serious (2) | substantial | THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING CLIMB RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. |
| Oct 20, 1989 | HIWASSE, AR | N96299 | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN THE FLIGHT AND INSURE THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO MONITOR THE…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN THE FLIGHT AND INSURE THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO MONITOR THE FUEL LEVEL DURING THE FLIGHT. |
| Oct 19, 1989 | OMAHA, NE | N5336R | Incident | substantial | FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH A FENCE. |
| Oct 17, 1989 | VALDOSTA, GA | N172SC | Incident | substantial |
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT (FAILURE TO SEE & AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TRANSMISSION (POWER) LINE AND LACK OF V…INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT (FAILURE TO SEE & AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TRANSMISSION (POWER) LINE AND LACK OF VISUAL CUES (PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION). |
| Oct 16, 1989 | NEW LENOX, IL | N4269F | Incident | substantial |
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN WIND INFORMATION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS SELECTION OF AN UNFAVORABLE (WRONG) RUNWAY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WA…FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN WIND INFORMATION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS SELECTION OF AN UNFAVORABLE (WRONG) RUNWAY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE CROSSWIND CONDITION. |
| Oct 16, 1989 | EDDYVILLE, KY | N733WK | Fatal (2) | destroyed | THE PILOT CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: LOW CEILING AND RAIN. |
| Oct 14, 1989 | CEDARBURG, WI | N1325U | Incident | substantial |
DELAY OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN MAKING A GO-AROUND AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKING OFF AGAIN. THE TRANSMIS…DELAY OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN MAKING A GO-AROUND AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKING OFF AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION WIRE (POWER LINE) AND HIGH VEGETATION WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. |
| Oct 14, 1989 | RIDGELAND, SC | N734PL | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE AIRSPEED AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. |
| Oct 14, 1989 | BAY CITY, MI | N1407F | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND IN A TIMELY MANNER. |
| Oct 01, 1989 | BENNINGTON, VT | N20017 | Incident | substantial | FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE CROSSWIND. |
| Oct 01, 1989 | BINGHAM, ME | N89219 | Serious (2) | destroyed |
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING TO ASSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CAPABLE OF OUTCLIMBING THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN UNDER THE EXISTING WIND AND A…THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING TO ASSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CAPABLE OF OUTCLIMBING THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN UNDER THE EXISTING WIND AND AIRPLANE WEIGHT CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN AN INTENTIONAL STALL INTO THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE TERRAIN AND WIND CONDITIONS. |
| Sep 26, 1989 | EAST SOUND, WA | N84152 | Incident | substantial | THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. |
| Sep 23, 1989 | PHOENIX, AZ | N252ER | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE WINGTIP AND THE BLAST DEFLECTOR SHIELD. THE PROXIMITY OF THE SHIELD WAS A RELATED FACTOR. |