1956 Cessna 172
Single Engine Piston
Aircraft Details
Seller reportedDescription
This very clean and low time 172 will make a great trainer for your country airport. Always hangared, and both paint and interior are in great shape. A very affordable way to start training and have four seats with a reasonable useful load.
Interior
are in great shape
Exterior
and interior are in great shape
Description and equipment details provided by the seller. AeroGurus does not verify seller-provided information.
Price Comparison 1 active offer
| Source | Price | Location | Listed | Days on Market | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seitz Aviation
seitzaviation.com
|
Contact for price
|
— | Apr 05, 2026 | — | Active |
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AeroGurus Data & Analysis
Independent data from FAA, NTSB, and market analysis
About This Cessna 172
This 1956 Cessna 172 is a 4-seat single engine piston . There are currently 25 172 aircraft listed for sale with asking prices ranging from $53,000 to $244,499.
The 172 cruises at 122 kts (226 km/h) with a range of 640 nm (1,185 km) — ideal for short hops and local flights. Service ceiling of 14,000 ft allows operation above most weather.
Operating costs: Fuel burn is 8.6 GPH (33 L/h), which at current Jet-A prices (~$5.50/gal) means approximately $47/hr in fuel alone. Total variable cost including maintenance reserves is approximately $130/hr. Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, crew, annual inspection) average $18,000.
NTSB records show 0 incidents for this airframe — a clean safety record. There are 10 airworthiness directives applicable to this aircraft type — review AD compliance carefully before purchase. Mechanics have filed 10 service difficulty reports for this type — common maintenance items to discuss during pre-buy.
Pre-Purchase Checklist
Cessna 172 — Model Specs
Model specificationStandard specs for this model. Actual aircraft may differ.
Estimated Cost of Ownership
AeroGurus estimateCESSNA 172
AeroGurus estimates based on industry averages for the CESSNA 172. Actual costs vary by location, usage, maintenance history, and configuration. Not a financial quote.
Ownership & Registration
Registration number not available.
Location & Ownership
Aircraft Location
Location not available
Title Status
No FAA title records
Available for US-registered aircraft only
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry, FAA Civil Aviation Registry (DocIndex). Title data may be delayed. Always verify with an aviation attorney before purchase.
Safety Record
NTSB safety data coming soon.
Airworthiness Directives — Cessna 172
ADs are mandatory safety instructions issued by the FAA. 10 recent ADs found for this aircraft type.
Cessna Aircraft Company 120, 140, 140A, 150, F150, 170, 172, F172, FR172, P172D, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, A185E, 190, 195, 206, P206, U206, TP206, TU206, 207, T207, 210, T210, 336, 337, and T337 Series Airplanes
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company Models 150, 152, 170, 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 190, 195, 206, 207, 210, T303, 336, and 337 Airplanes
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Model 172 Airplanes Modified by Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA01303WI
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 206, 207, 208, 210, 303, 336, and 337 Series Airplanes
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company 172, 175, 180, 182, 185, 206, 207, 208, 210, and 303 Series Airplanes
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company Models 172R, 172S, 182T, T182T, 206H, and T206H Airplanes
View full AD →Cessna Aircraft Company Models 172R, 172S, 182S, 182T, T182T, 206H, and T206H Airplanes
View full AD →Source: FAA Airworthiness Directives database. Showing most recent ADs for this aircraft type.
Service Difficulty Reports — Cessna 172
SDRs are reports filed by mechanics about problems found during maintenance. 10 recent reports for this aircraft type.
UNDER NORMAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS, AT FIRST ROUTINE 500-HOUR INSPECTION FOUND COIL TAB WORN OUT OF LIMITS BECAUSE THE TAB WAS INCORRECTLY BEND AT FACTORY.
POSITION # 1 &2 CYLINDER EXHAUST PORT CRACK FROM THE INBOARD EXHAUST STUD EXTENDING TO THE BACK OF THE PORT. CRACK VISIBLE THROUGH THE FINS. SUPERIOR CYLINDERS PN: SL32006W-A1 SERIAL NUMBER 326W000003625 & 326W000003623.
FOUND FORWARD PROPELLER BULKHEAD P/N 0550321-4 CRACKED AT ONE BOLT HOLE LOCATION.
ENGINE WAS REPORTED RUNNING ROUGH, WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK ON THE CYLINDER HEAD ON #4 CYLINDER. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS FOUND ON ANOTHER ENGINE, SAME TYPE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE AND CYLINDER.
UPON DISASSEMBLY FOR ITS FIRST OVERHAUL, DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT HAND CRANCASE TO ONE THRU STUD LOCATION. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE A GOUGE WITH DISPLACED METAL JUST UNDER THE CYLINDER PAD INSIDE THE THRU STUD BORE. SIMILAR DAMAGE ON OTHER ENGINE...
UPON DISASSEMBLY FOR IT'S FIRST OVERHAUL, DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON ONE OF THE THRU STUDS. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE DISPLACED STEEL UNDER THE THREADED PORTION ON THE SHOULDER OF THE THRU STUD. THE DAMAGE IS MINOR BUT DUE TO THE SIMILAR LOCATION AND SEVERIT...
UPON DISASSEMBLY FOR ITS FIRST OVERHAUL, DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT HAND CRANCASE TO ALL 4 THRU STUD LOCATIONS. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE A GOUGE WITH DISPLACED METAL JUST UNDER THE CYLINDER PAD INSIDE THE THRU STUD BORE. ON THREE OF THE THRU STUD B...
UPON DISASSEMBLY FOR IT'S FIRST OVERHAUL, DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON 2 OF THE THRU STUDS. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE DISPLACED STEEL UNDER THE THREADED PORTION ON THE SHOULDER OF THE THRU STUD. THE DAMAGE IS MINOR BUT DUE TO THE SIMILAR LOCATION AND SEVERITY ...
THIS IS TO REPORT POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN PN 259-P-04. THE AIRCRAFT DRAIN PLUGS WERE LOCATED ON THE DRAIN TEE FOR THE GDC74A. A POSSIBLE FAULT COULD BE THE INSTALLATION. WHILE THE AIRCRAFT HAS NOT HAD THE PITOT OR STATIC SYSTEMS LEAKED CHECK SINCE T...
UPON DISASSEMBLY FOR ITS FIRST OVERHAUL, DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT HAND CRANCASE TO ALL 4 THRU STUD LOCATIONS. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE A GOUGE WITH DISPLACED METAL JUST UNDER THE CYLINDER PAD INSIDE THE THRU STUD BORE. IN ADDITION, 1 OF THE THRU ...
Source: FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System. Shows maintenance issues reported by mechanics for this aircraft type.
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