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 09, 2020	Auburn, ME	N722SA	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing on the nosegear and nosegear collapse.
Jul 07, 2020	Lake Tahoe, CA	N6328D	Fatal (2)	destroyed	The partial loss of engine power due to carbon buildup in the No. 4 cylinder resulting from the pilot’s inadequate mixture-leaning procedures.
Jul 05, 2020	Prattville, AL	N173ME	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jul 03, 2020	Alpine, UT	N6929H	Fatal (4)	destroyed	The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering in a canyon, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Jul 01, 2020	Chesapeake, VA	N9391H	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper landing flare and failure to recover from the ensuing bounced landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Jul 01, 2020	Meadville, PA	N9127H	Incident	substantial	The pilot's distraction while taxiing, which resulted in a taxiway excursion.
Jun 19, 2020	Churchville, MD	N21585	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jun 12, 2020	Bowling Green, MO	N65773	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Jun 12, 2020	Reedsburg, WI	N738VY	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted a hard, bounced landing.
Jun 09, 2020	Santa Barbara, CA	N75989	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence.
Jun 08, 2020	Lubbock, TX	N92356	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper approach and descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jun 06, 2020	New Washington, IN	N13520	Fatal (1)	destroyed	A high velocity descent and impact with terrain for undetermined reasons.
Jun 03, 2020	Las Vegas, NV	N478ER	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a soft-field takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial a… The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a soft-field takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
May 31, 2020	Lakeview, AR	N52794	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff.
May 21, 2020	Houma, LA	N365CP	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a ground obstacle during landing.
May 15, 2020	Colchester, IL	N92036	Serious (1)	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight of the fuel quantity which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during cruise flight.
May 14, 2020	Tucson, AZ	N63931	Incident	substantial	The pilot improper fuel management, which resulted in running the left fuel tank empty and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvat… The pilot improper fuel management, which resulted in running the left fuel tank empty and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
May 02, 2020	Fresno, CA	N734NW	Minor	substantial	The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
Apr 22, 2020	Ft Worth, TX	N13005	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action to initiate a go-around, which resul… The student pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action to initiate a go-around, which resulted in a runway overrun and impact with runway lights and fences.
Apr 20, 2020	Yakima, WA	N75765	Minor	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude during a go-around, which resulted in impact with hilly terrain.
Apr 16, 2020	Enid, OK	N737RR	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a power-off approach and go-around in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing… The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a power-off approach and go-around in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and a runway excursion onto a field.
Apr 01, 2020	Hollywood, FL	N734HF	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to apply full engine power during the initiation of a go-around in gusting wind conditions and his exceedance of the airplane’s cr… The pilot’s failure to apply full engine power during the initiation of a go-around in gusting wind conditions and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Mar 30, 2020	New Symrna Beach, FL	N957TC	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and decision to not go-around after a bounced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and hard… The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and decision to not go-around after a bounced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and hard landing.
Mar 29, 2020	Sedona, AZ	N172FG	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s loss of pitch control while landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collapsed nose gear and departure of the airplane from th… The pilot’s loss of pitch control while landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collapsed nose gear and departure of the airplane from the runway.
Mar 18, 2020	Denver, CO	N1132W	Incident	substantial	The pilot's incorrect right rudder application during a touch-and go-landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and a… The pilot's incorrect right rudder application during a touch-and go-landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and a collision with a runway sign.

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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