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
Jun 03, 1990	JERSEYVILLE, IL	N64085	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO GO AROUND WHEN CROSSWINDS UPSET AIRCRAFT ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY IN THE FLARE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S A… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO GO AROUND WHEN CROSSWINDS UPSET AIRCRAFT ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY IN THE FLARE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO LAND IN CROSSWINDS WHICH EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM FOR WHICH THE MODEL HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED CAPABLE.
May 28, 1990	GLENDALE, AZ	N3888S	Minor	substantial	FUEL EXHAUSTION. RESULTING FROM THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM REFUELING.
May 22, 1990	URBANA, OH	N6195E	Minor	substantial	WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
May 18, 1990	NOVATO, CA	N6816E	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
May 15, 1990	CALIFORNIA CITY, CA	N7406A	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE. A FACTOR RELATED TO ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Apr 29, 1990	LAMBERTVILLE, MI	N62032	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE ABORTED LANDING.
Apr 28, 1990	ISLA GRANDE, PR	N2670U	Minor	substantial	IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN CARBURETOR ICE. THE WEATHER (CARBURETOR ICING CONDITION) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Apr 20, 1990	MINDEN, NV	N1065F	Minor	destroyed	THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION.
Mar 21, 1990	GULF SHORES, AL	N4373L	Minor	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE OR PROPERLY SECURE THE AIRCRAFT WHEN HE LEFT IT UNATTENDED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Mar 15, 1990	REDDING, CA	N13317	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S DECISION NOT TO USE FULL FLAPS WHICH RESULTED IN A LONG LANDING ON A WET RUNWAY.
Mar 15, 1990	OCILLA, GA	N733BV	Minor	substantial	THE AIRCRAFT'S ENCOUNTER WITH LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENT.
Mar 10, 1990	BASTROP, LA	N3530E	Minor	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR A GO-AROUND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE… FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR A GO-AROUND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND TURBULENCE.
Mar 07, 1990	CLEARWATER, FL	N73929	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED T… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE GUSTY CROSSWIND, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT.
Jan 17, 1990	FORT MORGAN, CO	N3135J	Minor	substantial	PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Jan 15, 1990	DEXTER, MO	N7726U	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND FAILED TO REACH THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND COND… THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND FAILED TO REACH THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Jan 04, 1990	HAMMOND, LA	N3531S	Minor	destroyed	PILOT IN COMMAND'S INITIATION AND CONTINUATION OF THE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO LAND PRIOR T… PILOT IN COMMAND'S INITIATION AND CONTINUATION OF THE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO LAND PRIOR TO RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXERCISE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND HIS DISREGARD FOR THE FEDERAL AIR REGULATIONS.
Dec 23, 1989	BYRON, CA	N8218B	Minor	destroyed	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JU… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITH A 700-FOOT CEILING.
Nov 21, 1989	BREMERTON, WA	N63496	Minor	destroyed	FUEL EXHAUSTION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Sep 15, 1989	BARNESVILLE, MN	N3610L	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO INSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTAINED AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.
Aug 18, 1989	GARDNER, MA	N65105	Minor	substantial	THE WORN THROTTLE ARM.
Aug 13, 1989	SELIGMAN, AZ	N5961J	Minor	substantial	A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM PIVOT STUD, WHICH WAS IN TURN CAUSED BY A STUCK EXHAUST VALV… A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM PIVOT STUD, WHICH WAS IN TURN CAUSED BY A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE.
Aug 05, 1989	RUIDOSO, NM	N9183H	Minor	destroyed	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND CARBURETOR HEAT DURING A TAKEOFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND CARBURETOR HEAT DURING A TAKEOFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Aug 03, 1989	APALACHICOLA, FL	N64RF	Minor	destroyed	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION CONCERNING ALTITUDE AB… FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION CONCERNING ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER.
Jul 19, 1989	LEESBURG, FL	N47ER	Minor	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AS HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND.
Jul 12, 1989	HATTON, ND	N3269L	Minor	destroyed	IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (S… IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (SHELTER BELT), AND DOWNDRAFT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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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