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
Jul 26, 2008	Stevensville, MD	N331ME	Minor	substantial	The flight instructor's inadequate remedial action following the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Jul 22, 2008	Bountiful, UT	N7672	Minor	substantial	A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Jul 09, 2008	Moorpark, CA	N9627B	Minor	substantial	A partial loss of engine power due to the disconnection of the throttle control cable from the throttle arm due to the operator's improper maintenance… A partial loss of engine power due to the disconnection of the throttle control cable from the throttle arm due to the operator's improper maintenance. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Jun 30, 2008	Oakland, CA	N61736	Minor	substantial	A loss of engine power due to oil starvation. The oil starvation event was due to the failure of maintenance personnel to tighten the mounting bolts … A loss of engine power due to oil starvation. The oil starvation event was due to the failure of maintenance personnel to tighten the mounting bolts for the newly installed vacuum pump.
Jun 25, 2008	Toms River, NJ	N13105	Minor	substantial	The failure of the pilot's seat to engage or remain engaged due to the improper inspection of the worn seat tracks.
Jun 06, 2008	Santa Rosa, CA	N6494E	Minor	substantial	The pilot's improper in-flight decision making and inadequate fuel consumption calculations that resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Jun 04, 2008	Nortonville, ND	N1437Y	Minor	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight which resulted in insufficient fuel on board to complete the flight. A factor associated with the accident was the s… The pilot's inadequate preflight which resulted in insufficient fuel on board to complete the flight. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain encountered during the forced landing.
May 22, 2008	Chuckey, TN	N74WC	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was his failure to abort the… The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was his failure to abort the takeoff.
Apr 28, 2008	White Plains, NY	N5382R	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path during the approach.
Mar 11, 2008	Richfield, UT	N80318	Minor	substantial	The pilot's improper use of the flight controls and failure to maintain directional control.
Jan 25, 2008	Beaver Marsh, OR	N734KU	Minor	substantial	The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision to land on a snow covered runway without first determining the depth of the snow.
Dec 01, 2007	Gaithersburg, MD	N259ER	Minor	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an attempted touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's delay in … The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an attempted touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's delay in taking remedial action, and the presence of trees in proximity to the side of the runway.
Nov 17, 2007	Atwater, CA	N3318E	Minor	substantial	The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and … The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and the ditch.
Oct 10, 2007	Prescott, AZ	N9897G	Minor	substantial	The failure of maintenance personnel to detect fatigue cracks in the number 3 exhaust rocker arm, which lead to a partial loss of engine power.
Oct 07, 2007	Oxford, MS	N5260J	Minor	substantial	The pilots inadvertent stall during takeoff. A contributing factor was his failure to calculate the aircraft gross weight prior to the flight.
Oct 04, 2007	Calhan, CO	N2263E	Minor	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Sep 11, 2007	Stockton, MO	N12189	Minor	substantial	The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, her subsequent loss of control of the airplane, and the inadvertent stall.
Sep 08, 2007	Carrabelle, FL	N1954F	Minor	substantial	The improper flare by the pilot-in-command resulting in a hard landing.
Aug 26, 2007	Julian, WV	N6670A	Minor	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident were the overcast cloud conditions and the pilot's failure to maintain direct… The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident were the overcast cloud conditions and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Aug 20, 2007	Charlotte, NC	N7410G	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.
Aug 19, 2007	Leavenworth, WA	N5967A	Minor	substantial	the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from the trees.
Jul 22, 2007	Sussex, NJ	N63483	Minor	substantial	A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Jun 02, 2007	Wendover, UT	N65755	Minor	destroyed	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
May 23, 2007	Leesburg, VA	N3982S	Minor	substantial	The loss of engine power that resulted from the failure of an exhaust valve rocker arm during cruise.
May 09, 2007	Shelby, OH	N8469L	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to properly achieve the correct touch down point which resulted in a runway over run and subsequent nose over into a ditch. Other … The pilot's failure to properly achieve the correct touch down point which resulted in a runway over run and subsequent nose over into a ditch. Other factors were the pilot's improper decision to land with a tailwind and the ditch.

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.

← Cessna 172 For Sale All Cessna Models

Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Looking to buy a Cessna 172? View 407 Cessna 172 for sale ↓

Cessna 172 Safety Record

Report an Issue