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
Feb 12, 2022	Paderborn, GE	N16ED	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 06, 2022	Rocky Mount, NC	N9382D	Incident	substantial	An inflight collision with a bird, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing.
Feb 04, 2022	Region de la Araucania, OF	CC-AFA	Fatal (2)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Feb 03, 2022	Reykjavik, IC	TF-ABB	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jan 30, 2022	Waynesboro, VA	N1766V	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s loss of directional control while landing.
Jan 30, 2022	Louisville, KY	N20312	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in cross wind conditions.
Jan 28, 2022	Coburg, OF	D-ECJN	Fatal (1)	substantial	Investigation pending
Jan 21, 2022	Aligarh, IN	VT-AMU	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jan 09, 2022	Los Angeles, CA	N8056L	Serious (1)	substantial	The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection during which he failed to remove all water contamination in the fuel system, which resulted in a total los… The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection during which he failed to remove all water contamination in the fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the condition of the fuel caps, which allowed the water to enter the fuel system.
Jan 08, 2022	Youngstown, OH	N3964L	Incident	substantial	A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information, which resulted in a forced landing.
Jan 08, 2022	Knoxville, TN	N19710	Incident	substantial	The pilot of the Cessna 150’s failure to avoid the taxiing Cessna 172.
Jan 03, 2022	Minocqua, WI	N4209Q	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s loss of control during landing when the airplane encountered ice and snow on the runway.
Dec 29, 2021	Berlin, NJ	N6295E	Incident	substantial	An inadvertent in-flight collision with a goose while on approach.
Dec 27, 2021	Koggala, CE	4R-GAF	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 26, 2021	Hardy, AR	N5798T	Fatal (2)	destroyed	The non-instrument rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of … The non-instrument rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Dec 22, 2021	Auburn, CA	N6280F	Serious (1)	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during an instrument approach, which resulted in an impact with power lines.
Dec 15, 2021	Pallisa-KAGWARA, UG	5X-KYO	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 12, 2021	Hazleton, PA	N215LP	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed on approach in tailwind conditions, which resulted in an extended touchdown, bounced landing, and runw… The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed on approach in tailwind conditions, which resulted in an extended touchdown, bounced landing, and runway excursion.
Dec 10, 2021	Trinidad, OF	CP-3060	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 03, 2021	Midland, VA	N2100S	Incident	substantial	Collision with a bird in flight, which resulted in damage to the right-wing leading-edge spar.
Nov 21, 2021	Wheeling, IL	N99715	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the student pilot’s self-induced pressure to land after… The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the student pilot’s self-induced pressure to land after being admonished by the controller.
Nov 21, 2021	Old Bridge, NJ	N8074E	Minor	destroyed	The student pilot’s loss of control during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Nov 14, 2021	Worms, GE	N884CA	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 14, 2021	Palm Coast, FL	N61237	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage… The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the lower fuselage and firewall.
Nov 14, 2021	Stanley, ID	N8509B	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain sufficient airspeed for the airplane to climb with a tailwind.

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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