How many accidents has the Cessna 152 had?

The NTSB has recorded 2435 events involving the Cessna 152: 255 fatal, 130 serious, 326 minor injuries, and 1714 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 152 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 152 has 2435 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 152 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 2435 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

2435

All Events

1714

Incidents

326

Minor

130

Serious

255

Fatal (386 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jan 21, 1991	TULSA, OK	N6374M	Serious (1)	substantial	THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. A FACTOR WAS: THE STUDENT'S FAILURE TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT.
Jan 20, 1991	EAU CLAIRE, WI	N94647	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Jan 17, 1991	CROWLEY, TX	N94330	Incident	substantial	A POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE RESULTING FROM THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS FAILURE TO USE CORRECT ENGINE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH T… A POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE RESULTING FROM THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS FAILURE TO USE CORRECT ENGINE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS PERFORMED.
Jan 17, 1991	MIAMI, FL	N65418	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE RECORD KEEPING BY THE OPERATION, AND FAILURE OF THE CFI TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.
Jan 11, 1991	ST. CLOUD, MN	N4872B	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING ACCELERATION FOR TAKEOFF.
Dec 27, 1990	LOGAN, UT	N5133B	Incident	substantial	THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INABILITY TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER IT WAS LOST BY HIS DUAL STUDENT ON AN ICY, SNOWY RUNWAY.
Dec 27, 1990	SOUTH BOSTON, VA	N48918	Minor	destroyed	THE STUDENT PILOT'S DELAY IN TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION WHILE ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: … THE STUDENT PILOT'S DELAY IN TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION WHILE ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WERE WORSE THAN FORECAST, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Dec 26, 1990	PLYMOUTH, MI	N67401	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI)'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT.
Dec 24, 1990	LEE'S SUMMIT, MO	N4977P	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER LANDING. THE ICY RUNWAY AND THE PILOT'S LACK TO TOTAL EXPERIENCE WERE FACT… THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER LANDING. THE ICY RUNWAY AND THE PILOT'S LACK TO TOTAL EXPERIENCE WERE FACTORS.
Dec 20, 1990	DELAND, FL	N25945	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO UTILIZE CARBURETOR HEAT IN ICING CONDITIONS.
Dec 17, 1990	LIVERMORE, CA	N4722P	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Dec 17, 1990	LINCOLN PARK, NJ	N89627	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDINGS.
Dec 16, 1990	PALMETTO, FL	N67334	Incident	substantial	POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PURCHASE FUEL BEFORE DEPARTURE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHA… POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PURCHASE FUEL BEFORE DEPARTURE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INACCURATE FUEL GAUGES.
Dec 10, 1990	GILMER, TX	N68776	Minor	substantial	A POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT.
Dec 07, 1990	MITCHELLVILLE, MD	N68243	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI). FACTORS RELATED TO THE AC… FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT(S) AND IN-FLIGHT OPENING OF THE DOOR.
Dec 02, 1990	MUSKEGON, MI	N7321B	Incident	substantial	DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PIC.
Nov 26, 1990	WAHIAWA, HI	N88TE	Incident	minor	THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER VFR PROCE… THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES OF N88TE WHILE TRANSITIONING THROUGH THE WHEELER AFB AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA.
Nov 25, 1990	OPA LOCKA, FL	N25053	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID A FLOCK OF BIRDS, RESULTING IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. … THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID A FLOCK OF BIRDS, RESULTING IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTOR(S) INCLUDED: ATTENTION DIVERTED.
Nov 25, 1990	INDIAN HEAD, MD	N757MP	Incident	substantial	THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS DECISION TO LAND WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO STOP THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN.
Nov 21, 1990	COLUMBUS, OH	N6107B	Incident	substantial	AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE STUDENT PILOT.
Nov 13, 1990	KOKOMO, IN	N757MT	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, RESULTING INADVERTENT PORPOISING.
Nov 11, 1990	WEST PALM BEACH, FL	N68744	Incident	substantial	PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO LAND ON A RUNWAY THAT WAS MORE ALIGNED WITH THE WIND. FACTORS WERE: CROSSWIND AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Nov 09, 1990	ZANESVILLE, OH	N757FW	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURET… IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING (WEATHER) CONDITIONS AND SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Nov 01, 1990	MARICOPA, AZ	N757PZ	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO ENSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WAS MAINTAINED DURING THE FINAL APPROACH FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS; TO… THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO ENSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WAS MAINTAINED DURING THE FINAL APPROACH FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS; TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT; AND TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN.
Nov 01, 1990	SHERBURNE, NY	N93003	Serious (1)	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO OUTCLIMB SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

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 152 Safety Record

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