How many accidents has the Cessna 170 had?

The NTSB has recorded 728 events involving the Cessna 170: 56 fatal, 52 serious, 83 minor injuries, and 537 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 170 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 170 has 728 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 170 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 728 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

728

All Events

537

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (98 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jul 23, 1989	KYLE, SD	N8102A	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT USED POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING & DECISION-MAKING IN SELECTING A ROAD ON WHICH TO LAND DURING GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILU… THE PILOT USED POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING & DECISION-MAKING IN SELECTING A ROAD ON WHICH TO LAND DURING GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL.
Jun 12, 1989	GERLACH, NV	N2873C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT BY SELECTING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE SO… THE PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT BY SELECTING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE SOFT TERRAIN.
May 06, 1989	KALSKAG, AK	N4074V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING A BOUNCED LANDING.
Apr 24, 1989	ORWELL, OH	N4409V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLEAR THE FENCE(S) NEAR THE EN… THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLEAR THE FENCE(S) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SOFT RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS & THE FENCE.
Apr 19, 1989	KALISPELL, MT	N5414C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND ROLLOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF PRO… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND ROLLOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF PROFICIENCY WITH ONLY 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAY PERIOD.
Apr 02, 1989	FREEDOM, WI	N3016A	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE W… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Mar 23, 1989	RAVENSWOOD, WV	N9187A	Incident	substantial	THE PILOTS DECISION TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND AND INADEQUATELY COMPENSATING FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS.
Feb 18, 1989	CLEVELAND, TN	N8032A	Incident	substantial	FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER BY THE PILOT AND HIS DELAY IN DIVERTING TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WHICH LED TO A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND AN EMERGENCY L… FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER BY THE PILOT AND HIS DELAY IN DIVERTING TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WHICH LED TO A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SOFT TERRAIN WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Dec 18, 1988	NORTH POLE, AK	N3138B	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 19, 1988	MCCRORY, AR	N170KM	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 17, 1988	BATAVIA, OH	N4137V	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 02, 1988	SPRINGFIELD, IL	N5596C	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Sep 16, 1988	HOPE, AK	N170LA	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 31, 1988	WILLOW, AK	N2905D	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 29, 1988	ANCHORAGE, AK	N8266A	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 21, 1988	BOYCEVILLE, WI	N3804V	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 10, 1988	ANCHORAGE, AK	N4346B	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 09, 1988	ANCHORAGE, AK	N2487D	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 08, 1988	ROCKFORD, IL	N8048A	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 04, 1988	MARBLE FALLS, TX	N2642V	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 17, 1988	BAYARD, NE	N4510C	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 01, 1988	GOLDSBORO, MD	N8271A	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 13, 1988	ATHENS, GA	N1213D	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 15, 1988	HEALY, AK	N2601D	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 14, 1988	CROWLEY, TX	N3180B	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 170 Safety Record

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