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
Oct 27, 1990	BLACKFOOT, ID	N5259B	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS WERE IMPROPER AIRSPEED AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE.
Oct 26, 1990	CENTERVILLE, TN	N67448	Incident	substantial	THE PROPABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RUNWAY INCURSION BY THE DEER DURING THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF ROLL.
Oct 23, 1990	MUSKEGON, MI	N68219	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION. HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE WAS A FACTOR.
Oct 22, 1990	HANNIBAL, MO	N24359	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS WERE: EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Oct 22, 1990	WEST NYACK, NY	N36944	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING AND COLLISION WITH A FEN… THE IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING AND COLLISION WITH A FENCE. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WEATHER CONDITIONS SUITABLE TO FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING.
Oct 20, 1990	KENT, OH	N5331P	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION IN THE LANDING TRAFFIC PATTERN. FACTORS TO THIS MID-AIR COLLISION WERE THE EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF AI… FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION IN THE LANDING TRAFFIC PATTERN. FACTORS TO THIS MID-AIR COLLISION WERE THE EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF AIRPLANES IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN AND RADIO FREQUENCY CONGESTION.
Oct 14, 1990	CROOKSTON, MN	N7385W	Incident	substantial	A POORLY PLANNED APPROACH, AND FAILURE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT.
Oct 11, 1990	PULLMAN, WA	N757LC	Incident	destroyed	THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Oct 08, 1990	GRISWOLD, CT	N4708M	Fatal (2)	destroyed	A BROKEN EHAUST VALVE SPRING THAT RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN, AND … A BROKEN EHAUST VALVE SPRING THAT RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN, AND FAILURE OF THE OCCUPANTS TO USE THEIR SHOULDER HARNESSES.
Oct 04, 1990	KEARNY, AZ	N4594B	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT EXECUTING A LEFT TURN AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR A CORN FIELD LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY.
Oct 02, 1990	OPA LOCKA, FL	N66945	Incident	substantial	PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING.
Sep 30, 1990	DOTHAN, AL	N49553	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USAGE OF FLIGHT … THE STUDENT PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USAGE OF FLIGHT CONTROLS, PRESENCE OF CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS OVERALL LACK OF EXPERIENCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Sep 28, 1990	ERIE, CO	N6581M	Incident	destroyed	THE STUDENT PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Sep 25, 1990	CEDAR KEY, FL	N93286	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AFTER LANDING LONG.
Sep 23, 1990	LAKEVILLE, MN	N89038	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTING TO FORCE THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE RUNWAY.
Sep 22, 1990	FORT WAYNE, IN	N24296	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE CROSSWINDS THAT… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE CROSSWINDS THAT WERE PRESENT DURING THE APPROACH AND THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.
Sep 21, 1990	HAYWARD, CA	N46326	Minor	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR BOLT/NUT PLATE ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION (THREADI… THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR BOLT/NUT PLATE ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION (THREADING) OF THE GEAR BOLT/NUT ASSEMBLY.
Sep 17, 1990	KAMAS, UT	N67853	Serious (1)	destroyed	POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT CONDITION WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED I… POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT CONDITION WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.
Sep 15, 1990	EAU CLAIRE, WI	N67758	Incident	substantial	FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Sep 14, 1990	BLUE RIDGE, TX	N69137	Fatal (1)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S DECISION TO PERFORM BUZZING TYPE MANEUVERS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Sep 14, 1990	PLAIN CITY, OH	N95644	Fatal (2)	destroyed	POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAI… POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE/TRAINING FOR FLIGHT AT NIGHT OR IN INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Sep 13, 1990	SAN FERNANDO, CA	N714XD	Serious (2)	destroyed	FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING.
Sep 09, 1990	GARRISON, MN	N714TR	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Aug 28, 1990	PROVINCETOWN, MA	N24894	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. PROBABLE FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAIL… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. PROBABLE FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES, AND HIS LACK OF PROPER CERTIFICATION (QUALIFICATION) FOR THIS FLIGHT.
Aug 25, 1990	SANTA ANA, CA	N47477	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER TECHNIQUE USED BY THE STUDENT PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING ATTEMPT.

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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