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
Aug 13, 2018 Afton, WY N5660J Serious (3) substantial
The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance after an encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering in a valley with a high-density altitude, whic…

The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance after an encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering in a valley with a high-density altitude, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.

Aug 12, 2018 Edson, CA C-FJCP Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
Aug 09, 2018 Greeley, CO N20JA Incident substantial
The pilot’s and safety pilot's conflicting control inputs during landing, which resulted in their failure to maintain a proper airspeed and resulted i…

The pilot’s and safety pilot's conflicting control inputs during landing, which resulted in their failure to maintain a proper airspeed and resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the lack of communication between the pilot and safety pilot during the landing and go-around.

Aug 06, 2018 Crystal River, FL N9608H Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Aug 06, 2018 Puy-de-Dome Mazoires, FR F-GTNV Fatal (3) destroyed Investigation pending
Aug 04, 2018 Dowagiac, MI N8994V Minor substantial The pilot's failure to maintain bank control during takeoff.
Aug 04, 2018 Sallisaw, OK N707TM Incident substantial The student pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Jul 29, 2018 North Fox Island, MI N6021A Minor substantial
The Extra pilot’s failure to see and avoid the Cessna, which resulted in an in-flight collision. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the E…

The Extra pilot’s failure to see and avoid the Cessna, which resulted in an in-flight collision. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the Extra pilot to tune his radio to the correct frequency, which resulted in no common traffic advisories being heard or recognized as relevant by either pilot.

Jul 29, 2018 Grand Prairie, TX N24144 Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain the runway centerline during takeoff with a crosswind.
Jul 28, 2018 Wadsworth, OH N4855G Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Jul 28, 2018 Mount Vernon, OH N785SP Minor destroyed An in-flight fuel-fed fire from an unknown source for reasons that could not be determined due to the extensive fire damage to the airplane.
Jul 26, 2018 Spring, TX N865CP Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare in a crosswind, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jul 25, 2018 Meadow Lakes, AK N171Q Incident substantial The pilot’s selection of the wrong fuel tank for departure, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Jul 22, 2018 Colorado Springs, CO N99243 Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Jul 17, 2018 Nashville, TN N7880G Incident substantial The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Jul 17, 2018 Chicago, IL N969RR Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a truck while taxiing.
Jul 13, 2018 Deer Park, WA N24442 Fatal (3) substantial
An in-flight breakup as a result of the airplane exceeding the structural strength of the airplane during a rapid descent that the flight instructor w…

An in-flight breakup as a result of the airplane exceeding the structural strength of the airplane during a rapid descent that the flight instructor was unable to recover from following a collision with a large bird.

Jul 13, 2018 Batavia, OH N12064 Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jul 08, 2018 Beaver Falls, PA N984BT Incident substantial The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Jul 05, 2018 King and Queen, VA N1401F Minor substantial The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Jul 04, 2018 Bad Voslau, AU F-HFPL Fatal (2) destroyed Investigation pending
Jul 02, 2018 Troy, MI N6508K Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, porpoised landing during an aborted go-around.
Jun 27, 2018 Adiyaman, TU TC-GUB Fatal (1) destroyed Investigation pending
Jun 26, 2018 Phoenix, AZ N154ME Minor substantial A total loss of engine power due to crankshaft failure as the result of a subsurface fatigue crack.
Jun 22, 2018 Diamondhead, MS N7239Q Fatal (1) destroyed
The student pilot's failure to retract the flaps following landing and the stall/mush that resulted during the subsequent full-flap takeoff and initia…

The student pilot's failure to retract the flaps following landing and the stall/mush that resulted during the subsequent full-flap takeoff and initial climb.

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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