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
Nov 12, 2018 Piseco, NY N738VK Minor substantial
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in impact with a snow pile and necessitated a go-around, during which the airpl…

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in impact with a snow pile and necessitated a go-around, during which the airplane impacted trees.

Nov 03, 2018 Anchorage, AK N2809L Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in the wing striking the runway. Contributing to the acciden…

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in the wing striking the runway. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel contamination.

Nov 01, 2018 Cleburne, TX N3984L Minor substantial
The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine …

The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power.

Oct 27, 2018 Houston, TX N3973L Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat while operating in an area conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power …

The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat while operating in an area conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on approach and subsequent forced landing into a creek.

Oct 26, 2018 Salina, KS N822KS Incident substantial The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Oct 18, 2018 Lynchburg, VA N924MM Incident substantial The stuck No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing and impact with a ditch.
Oct 14, 2018 Lawrenceville, GA N996SB Incident substantial
The student pilot's improper pitch application, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent fire. Contributing to the accident was the student’s f…

The student pilot's improper pitch application, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent fire. Contributing to the accident was the student’s failure to give over the flight controls to the flight instructor when instructed to do so.

Oct 14, 2018 Vergennes, VT N73345 Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while taxiing.
Oct 08, 2018 Midrand, SF ZS-PZT Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
Oct 05, 2018 Stockton, CA N78239 Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Sep 30, 2018 Somerset, PA N4001F Incident substantial The pilot's decision to land with insufficient runway remaining to stop, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Sep 24, 2018 Winter Haven, FL N6950A Incident substantial
The student pilot’s improper pitch attitude control during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airspeed, and his subsequent decision to con…

The student pilot’s improper pitch attitude control during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airspeed, and his subsequent decision to conduct a 180° turn following the perceived anomaly, which resulted in a runway overrun.

Sep 15, 2018 St. Johns, AZ N734FT Serious (3) substantial
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning before takeoff in the high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane being unable to maint…

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning before takeoff in the high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane being unable to maintain sufficient airspeed to continue to climb.

Sep 12, 2018 Roche Harbor, WA N24ME Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to secure his seat position prior to takeoff, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and subsequent hard landing.
Sep 01, 2018 Karluk, AK N3835S Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain proper pitch for a soft-field landing, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Aug 27, 2018 Winchester, VA N53051 Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Aug 27, 2018 Rushville, IN N4379L Minor substantial Loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Aug 26, 2018 New Kent, VA N1537U Serious (1) substantial The student pilot’s loss of airplane control during a go-around.
Aug 23, 2018 Churchville, MD N419SP Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing left of the runway centerline, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with …

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing left of the runway centerline, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a power box.

Aug 22, 2018 Shreveport, LA N4275Q Minor substantial
The student pilot's overshoot of the runway, which resulted from her misperception of an engine issue due to her failure to maintain proper pitch cont…

The student pilot's overshoot of the runway, which resulted from her misperception of an engine issue due to her failure to maintain proper pitch control during initial climb.

Aug 20, 2018 Burlington, VT N557SP Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Aug 18, 2018 Addison, TX N893JA Serious (3) substantial
The pilot's improper flap setting for takeoff and subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic s…

The pilot's improper flap setting for takeoff and subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing was the overgross state of the airplane.

Aug 17, 2018 Rhome, TX N2893Q Fatal (1) substantial
The pilot's inadequate maintenance of the airplane, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation when organic debris restrict…

The pilot's inadequate maintenance of the airplane, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation when organic debris restricted available fuel to the carburetor, and the pilot's impairment due to the ingestion of alcohol, which affected his ability to safely operate the airplane following the loss of engine power.

Aug 15, 2018 Silver City, NM N1543Y Minor substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind.
Aug 14, 2018 DePere, WI N1085U Serious (1) substantial
The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control and his subsequent failure to maintain the runway heading during an attempted go-around, which resulte…

The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control and his subsequent failure to maintain the runway heading during an attempted go-around, which resulted in impact with trees.

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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