How many accidents has the Cessna 320 had?

The NTSB has recorded 89 events involving the Cessna 320: 34 fatal, 7 serious, 7 minor injuries, and 41 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 320 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 320 has 89 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 320 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 89 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

All Events

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (81 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jun 08, 1991	WASHINGTON, IN	N6158Q	Incident	substantial	EXCEEDING THE AIRCRAFT'S PROPER DESCENT RATE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INOPERATIVE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, PROPER ALIG… EXCEEDING THE AIRCRAFT'S PROPER DESCENT RATE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INOPERATIVE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, PROPER ALIGNMENT NOT ATTAINED, IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH, AND INADEQUATE FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
Mar 13, 1991	GORMAN, CA	N3302Q	Fatal (3)	destroyed	VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TE… VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Jan 24, 1991	MIDDLETON, WI	N4112T	Incident	substantial	THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT DUE TO EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SNOWBANK ADJACENT TO … THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT DUE TO EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SNOWBANK ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Jan 10, 1991	ELKHART, IN	N4695X	Minor	substantial	A FRACTURED LANDING GEAR RETRACTION ASSEMBLY COMPONENT AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.
Aug 30, 1990	CENTER, TX	N377S	Fatal (1)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) AND LACK OF QUALIFICATION/TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIR… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) AND LACK OF QUALIFICATION/TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE TURBOCHARGER, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE.
Nov 06, 1989	HAYWARD, CA	N3018T	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND HIS IMPROPER FLARE FOR LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK O… FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND HIS IMPROPER FLARE FOR LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT, AND COMPANY INDUCED PRESSURE.
Oct 28, 1989	NEBRASKA CITY, NE	N5725X	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALITTUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE TH… THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALITTUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Jul 22, 1989	ST. CLAIR, MO	N314D	Incident	substantial	THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENTION SYSTEM FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASON.
May 01, 1989	WIXOM, MI	N132BC	Minor	destroyed	PILOT'S INATTENTION TO THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING PREFLIGHT AND INADEQUATE FUEL SYSTEM MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT.
Feb 17, 1989	MELROSE, FL	N3488Q	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPLY PROMPTLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS AND HIS LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.
Aug 08, 1988	SPRINGFIELD, IL	N222L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 07, 1988	ATWOOD, KS	N320DB	Fatal (4)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jul 04, 1988	MAMMOTH LAKES, CA	N9HS	Fatal (4)	destroyed	Investigation pending
May 24, 1988	SAN ANGELO, TX	N73AT	Serious (1)	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 25, 1987	BERMUDA DUNES, CA	N44RM	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 24, 1987	BANNING, CA	N3322Q	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 10, 1987	POINT LOOKOUT, MO	N712SF	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 02, 1986	PANAMA CITY, FL	N1FD	Serious (1)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jul 12, 1986	CEDAR CITY, UT	N3030T	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 02, 1986	COMPTON, CA	N4153T	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 18, 1986	VAN NUYS, CA	N320SD	Fatal (6)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Dec 06, 1985	ADA, OH	N5755X	Fatal (1)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jul 15, 1985	RAPID CITY, SD	N90HC	Fatal (1)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Apr 14, 1985	ATHENS, LA	N3RU	Fatal (4)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Feb 17, 1985	LEE'S SUMMIT, MO	N5704X	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending

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 320 Safety Record

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