How many accidents has the Cessna 172 had?

The NTSB has recorded 6810 events involving the Cessna 172: 960 fatal, 542 serious, 1048 minor injuries, and 4223 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172 has 6810 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 6810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.

6810

All Events

4223

Incidents

1048

Minor

542

Serious

960

Fatal (1802 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Mar 09, 1992	SANTA MONICA, CA	N98662	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE AND HER IMPROPER BOUNCED LANDING RECOVERY TECHNIQUE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE AIRPLANE'S EXCESSIVE APPROACH … THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE AND HER IMPROPER BOUNCED LANDING RECOVERY TECHNIQUE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE AIRPLANE'S EXCESSIVE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Mar 08, 1992	GOLDEN, TX	N6938X	Incident	substantial	FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS WERE FALSE FUEL SENSOR INDICATIONS AND A FENCE.
Mar 01, 1992	BAINBRIDGE, GA	N35637	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT, AND THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH WHICH RESULTED. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE HI… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT, AND THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH WHICH RESULTED. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE AIRSTRIP.
Feb 28, 1992	MANHATTAN, KS	N20044	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN ON WHICH THE LANDING WAS MADE.
Feb 17, 1992	LEESBURG, FL	N53370	Incident	substantial	THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED BY THE FLIGHT DURING TAXI.
Feb 17, 1992	CONROE, TX	N738EC	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. A FACTOR WAS THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION.
Feb 17, 1992	NORDMAN, ID	N96617	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFL… THE PILOT SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Feb 10, 1992	PARSHALL, CO	N737BY	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS BY THE DUEL STUDENT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI. FACTORS WERE: CARBURETOR HEAT NOT USED, DEEP SNOW COVER… IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS BY THE DUEL STUDENT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI. FACTORS WERE: CARBURETOR HEAT NOT USED, DEEP SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, AND CARBURETOR ICE CONDITIONS.
Feb 09, 1992	DELTA, CO	N8242B	Incident	substantial	A COMPLETE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS: UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO CONDUCT AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Feb 04, 1992	WACO, TX	N9754B	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FULLY EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BY THE ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENTION SYSTEM. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT, LOW CEILING, FOG, DRIZZLE AN… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FULLY EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BY THE ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENTION SYSTEM. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT, LOW CEILING, FOG, DRIZZLE AND FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Jan 27, 1992	ENGLEWOOD, CO	N52872	Incident	substantial	A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURES BY FLYING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AT AN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED. … A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURES BY FLYING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AT AN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS.
Jan 22, 1992	GADSDEN, AL	N35308	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING BY THE PILOT UNDER EXAMINATION, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. INADEQUATE SU… THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING BY THE PILOT UNDER EXAMINATION, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE DESIGNATED EXAMINER WAS A FACTOR.
Jan 19, 1992	UNION CENTER, SD	N8529U	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE AC… IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SOFT RUNWAY CONDITION & FENCE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Jan 16, 1992	ENGLEWOOD, CO	N65513	Incident	substantial	LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE BRAKES DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CERTIFIED FLI… LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE BRAKES DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS A FACTOR.
Jan 14, 1992	ALBUQUERQUE, NM	N4885G	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. A FACTOR WAS HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Jan 12, 1992	SHOW LOW, AZ	N1571E	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX ATTACH STRAPS WHICH ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT MUFF AND RENDERED … THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX ATTACH STRAPS WHICH ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT MUFF AND RENDERED THE CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. THE ENGINE THEN LOST POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
Jan 08, 1992	ARCATA, CA	N1608F	Incident	substantial	CARBURETOR ICING AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
Dec 31, 1991	GREENCASTLE, IN	N3281L	Incident	substantial	THE WORN CENTERING LOCKING LUG ON THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY.
Dec 26, 1991	KAMUELA, HI	N79948	Incident	substantial	THE PILOTS ENCOUNTER WITH A WIND GUST BEYOND THE GROUND HANDLING CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN PREFLIGHT WEATHER INFORMATION.
Dec 24, 1991	CHANDLER, AZ	N734GY	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING THE AIRCRAFT.
Dec 18, 1991	GULFPORT, MS	N733XV	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND AND INADVERTENT STALL.
Dec 05, 1991	BROOMFIELD, CO	N9320D	Incident	minor	FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR PIVOT ASSEMBLY DUE TO DUCTILE TORSIONAL OVERSTRESS.
Dec 05, 1991	TULSA, OK	N6947X	Incident	substantial	CLEARANCE WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A WIRE. A FACTOR WAS THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN STOLEN BY TWO UNKNOWN INDIVIDUALS.
Nov 26, 1991	SAIPAN, CQ	N733PB	Incident	destroyed	A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CORRECTLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
Nov 25, 1991	OKMULGEE, OK	N65748	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR A CROSSWIND CONDITION. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE PREVAILING CROSSWIND.

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 172 Safety Record

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