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 20, 2018 Bruington, VA N8090X Incident substantial The pilot’s improper decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane.
Jun 17, 2018 Fullerton, CA N734RS Incident substantial
The National Transportation Safety Board did not determine the probable cause of this event and does not plan to issue a report or open a public docke…

The National Transportation Safety Board did not determine the probable cause of this event and does not plan to issue a report or open a public docket. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Jun 16, 2018 Quinton, VA N2777U Serious (1) substantial A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Jun 15, 2018 Rotan, TX N734BS Fatal (2) destroyed The pilot's reckless decision to conduct low-level flight over a canyon, resulting in the airplane's impact with power lines and terrain.
Jun 14, 2018 Salem, IL N98395 Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a pole while taxiing the airplane on the ramp.
Jun 09, 2018 Hillsboro, TX N363CK Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent porpoise.
Jun 09, 2018 Danbury, CT N383ME Incident substantial A collision with a bird during initial climb.
Jun 08, 2018 Moorabbin, AS VH-EWE Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
Jun 03, 2018 San Diego, CA N786SA Minor The biplane pilot’s failure to see and avoid the stopped airplane.
Jun 02, 2018 Fuquay Varina, NC N1305B Incident substantial
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from overgrown brush during taxi, which resulted in entanglement with the brush and a s…

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from overgrown brush during taxi, which resulted in entanglement with the brush and a subsequent impact with a tree.

May 30, 2018 Payson, AZ N780JA Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control during a short-field takeoff in high-density altitude conditions.
May 29, 2018 Orlando, FL N497SJ Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced, hard landing.
May 28, 2018 Macas, EC HC-BTS Incident substantial Investigation pending
May 26, 2018 Westminster, MD N789EP Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
May 19, 2018 Defuniak Springs, FL N12267 Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the aborted landing.
May 14, 2018 Nooksack, WA N4144L Minor destroyed The pilot’s improper approach in tailwind conditions, which resulted in long landing and subsequent runway overrun.
May 11, 2018 ORRVILLE, OH N738XT Serious (1) substantial
The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during the soft field takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of att…

The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during the soft field takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

May 08, 2018 Batavia, OH N377ES Incident substantial
The pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum gross weight due to his failure to perform preflight weight and balance calculatio…

The pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum gross weight due to his failure to perform preflight weight and balance calculations, which affected the airplane’s takeoff performance, and his subsequent decision to abort the takeoff with too little runway remaining, which resulted in a runway excursion.

May 05, 2018 Fulton, NY N7762X Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
May 04, 2018 Glendale, AZ N99141 Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain runway alignment during takeoff, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and runway excursion.
May 02, 2018 Port Angeles, WA N734QQ Minor substantial
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn away from terrain, which resulted in an accelerated stall. Contributin…

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn away from terrain, which resulted in an accelerated stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to delay the turn to avoid terrain.

Apr 30, 2018 Palo Alto, CA N254EK Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Apr 30, 2018 Hamilton, BD N9085H Minor substantial Investigation pending
Apr 28, 2018 Corozalito, Nandayure, CS TI-BIL Fatal (2) Investigation pending
Apr 22, 2018 Hagfors, SW SE-EHI Incident substantial Investigation pending
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.
← Cessna 172 For Sale All Cessna Models
Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data
View 411 Cessna 172 for sale ↓