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
Mar 24, 2015 Circleville, TX N8282L Incident substantial
The failure of the engine to regain normal power after a simulated engine failure due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing on muddy…

The failure of the engine to regain normal power after a simulated engine failure due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing on muddy terrain and a subsequent nose-over.

Mar 23, 2015 Camarillo, CA N2104H Incident substantial The pilot involved and the phase of flight when the damage occurred were not determined.
Mar 08, 2015 Newport, RI N65645 Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, and his subsequent failure to recover from a bounced landing, which resulted …

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, and his subsequent failure to recover from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

Mar 07, 2015 Richmond, VA N144ME Incident substantial The student pilot's inadequate landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage to the airplane.
Feb 21, 2015 Kankakee, IL N54974 Incident substantial The student pilot's improper flight control inputs resulting in the loss of control during the landing flare.
Jan 23, 2015 Nashua, NH N35560 Incident substantial
The student pilot's lack of vigilance during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked truck. A factor in the accident was the truck operator'…

The student pilot's lack of vigilance during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked truck. A factor in the accident was the truck operator's decision to park on the edge of an active taxiway.

Jan 17, 2015 Holland, MI N7061G Incident substantial The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Jan 16, 2015 New Castle, PA N7079Q Incident substantial Pilot's inadequate control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Jan 06, 2015 Norfolk, VA N2102P Incident substantial
The engine’s failure to regain full power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations a…

The engine’s failure to regain full power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations and testing.

Jan 05, 2015 Marquette, MI N6591H Incident substantial The pilot did not maintain directional control during takeoff on the snow and ice covered runway in gusting crosswind conditions.
Jan 04, 2015 Fresno, CA N2948U Incident substantial The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Nov 24, 2014 Obyan, USA N12915 Incident substantial The student pilot's loss of airplane control during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions.
Nov 12, 2014 Sarasota, FL N60155 Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the initial climb, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the engin…

The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the initial climb, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot's lack of overall flying experience was a factor.

Nov 03, 2014 Everglades City, FL N696PT Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to compensate for gusting wind conditions during the flare, and the flight instructor's failure to intervene in a timely m…

The student pilot's failure to compensate for gusting wind conditions during the flare, and the flight instructor's failure to intervene in a timely manner, resulting in a loss of airplane control and hard landing off of the runway.

Oct 30, 2014 Miami, FL N97277 Incident substantial The failure of the student pilot to achieve a proper touchdown during a touch-and-go landing resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage.
Oct 26, 2014 Santa Monica, CA N353MV Incident substantial
The separation of a section of a propeller blade due to fatigue cracking. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s failure to comply with the m…

The separation of a section of a propeller blade due to fatigue cracking. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s failure to comply with the manufacturer’s maintenance and inspection instructions.

Oct 24, 2014 Apopka, FL N1533V Incident substantial
The student pilots improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the flight i…

The student pilots improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial actions.

Oct 23, 2014 Hawthorne, CA N564AT Incident substantial The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent hard landing.
Oct 23, 2014 Lake Havasu, AZ N1590W Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Sep 30, 2014 Thermal, CA N738TJ Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing after an encounter with a dust devil.
Sep 19, 2014 Leesburg, FL N13394 Incident substantial
The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and his subsequent loss of directional control during landing on a wet runway for reasons that could n…

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and his subsequent loss of directional control during landing on a wet runway for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Sep 14, 2014 Naples, FL N21670 Incident substantial
The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to la…

The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to land due to the deteriorating weather conditions.

Sep 11, 2014 Oxford, WI N3510Q Incident substantial The pilot did not compensate for the decrease in the crosswind when he descended below the tree line during the landing.
Aug 16, 2014 Santa Ynez, CA N10033 Incident substantial The student pilot's inadequate flare and loss of aircraft control during landing, which resulted in multiple bounces.
Aug 14, 2014 Oxford, NC N8432U Incident substantial
The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper compensation for w…

The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions.

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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