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 25, 1990	CANTON, MI	N4330Q	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE, PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND DELAYED REACTION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Jul 21, 1990	LAKE LOUISE, AK	N7866U	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS A CROSSWIND.
Jul 16, 1990	GRANTS, NM	N46593	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Jul 08, 1990	DAVIS, CA	N7726X	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY IMPROPERLY USING THE BRAKES.
Jul 06, 1990	CONCORD, CA	N5388R	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S INITIATING AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION.
Jul 02, 1990	TOOELE, UT	N736NB	Incident	substantial	THE FLIGHTS ENCOUNTER WITH TURBLENCE ON FINAL WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Jun 30, 1990	EL CAJON, CA	N9313H	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE LANDING AFTER TOUCHDOWN PAST THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE.
Jun 29, 1990	HOUSTON, TX	N8190X	Incident	substantial	FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Jun 28, 1990	VAN NUYS, CA	N6308D	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PI… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE GO AROUND PROCEDURES SPECIFIED IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL.
Jun 15, 1990	SHOW LOW, AZ	N8512B	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IMPROPERLY USED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Jun 13, 1990	MILLERSBURG, OH	N7955U	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A GO-AROUND ATTEMPT. THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL AVIATION EXPERIENCE AND HIS MOTION SICKNESS … FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A GO-AROUND ATTEMPT. THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL AVIATION EXPERIENCE AND HIS MOTION SICKNESS ARE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT.
Jun 09, 1990	REDDING, CA	N216PB	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S PREMATURE ROTATION DURING THE T… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S PREMATURE ROTATION DURING THE TAKEOFF AND THE FAILURE TO TAKE THE NECESSARY REMEDIAL ACTION.
Jun 07, 1990	BOULDER, CO	N2723E	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TOUCH DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT, HIS MISJUDGMENT OF THE DISTANCE REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFF FOLLOWING THE TOUCH AND GO, AND HIS DELAYE… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TOUCH DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT, HIS MISJUDGMENT OF THE DISTANCE REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFF FOLLOWING THE TOUCH AND GO, AND HIS DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Jun 06, 1990	CHANDELEUR ISLD, LA	N1071S	Incident	substantial	MINIMUM AIRSPEED REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT (VS) WAS NOT MAINTAINED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FATIGUED CONDITION, AND PREMATURE LIFT OFF.
Jun 01, 1990	NORTHWOOD, OH	N737KL	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE FAC… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER OVER A POPULATED AREA WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
May 31, 1990	CHESTERFIELD, VA	N51706	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT.
May 26, 1990	LEONA, TX	N1650V	Incident	substantial	ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO A TOTALLY OBSTRUCTED AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING… ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO A TOTALLY OBSTRUCTED AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING HAD TO BE PERFORMED.
May 26, 1990	ALBUQUERQUE, NM	N6498R	Incident	substantial	THE CFI'S IMPROPER PROCEDURES DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS WERE PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.
May 23, 1990	PLYMOUTH, FL	N66026	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPE… THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPEREINCE.
May 22, 1990	LAKEPORT, CA	N61602	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. THE CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
May 22, 1990	JEFFERSONVILLE, IN	N733CR	Incident	substantial	THE ENGINE STARTED FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, WHEN THE PROP WAS MOVED AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN INOPERATIVE STARTER. (MOST PROBABLY, THERE WAS … THE ENGINE STARTED FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, WHEN THE PROP WAS MOVED AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN INOPERATIVE STARTER. (MOST PROBABLY, THERE WAS EITHER AN ISOLATED/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM OR THE PILOT DID NOT MOVE THE MAGNETO SWITCH ALL THE WAY TO THE OFF POSITION BEFORE MOVING THE PROPELLER.)
May 16, 1990	SEDONA, AZ	N738UC	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN APPROPRIATE AIRSPEED DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND.
May 14, 1990	GRANVILLE, NY	N80104	Incident	substantial	THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH A DITCH.
May 07, 1990	COTTONWOOD, AZ	N251ER	Incident	substantial	PREMATURE RAISING OF THE FLAPS DURING THE GO-AROUND MANEUVER.
May 07, 1990	POCOMOKE, MD	N7746T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWWN POINT DURING THE LANDING. … THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWWN POINT DURING THE LANDING. THE DITCH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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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