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
Apr 20, 2018 San Jose, CA N23AT Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain the runway heading during the approach to land, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Apr 05, 2018 Livermore, CA N1438U Minor substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain runway centerline and flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during landing.
Mar 29, 2018 New Bedford, MA N803BW Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a porpoised landing.
Mar 23, 2018 Beaver Falls, PA N987AV Minor substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Mar 19, 2018 Vernon, TX N1103F Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusty crosswind conditions.
Mar 12, 2018 Green Valley, AZ N418DD Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing with a tailwind.
Mar 11, 2018 Bedford, MA N249FS Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in substantial damage.
Mar 07, 2018 Kent, OH N103KS Incident substantial A deer collided with aircraft during landing at night.
Mar 07, 2018 England, AR N1889Y Incident substantial
The pilot’s failure to detect water in the fuel system during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during departure and …

The pilot’s failure to detect water in the fuel system during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during departure and a subsequent impact with terrain.

Mar 07, 2018 Lakeland, FL N2221R Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Mar 01, 2018 Ocean City, MD N615JA Fatal (2) destroyed
The pilot's flight in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in an impact with water for reasons that could not be determined bas…

The pilot's flight in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in an impact with water for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

Feb 28, 2018 Gatesvile, TX N1118F Minor substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during initial climb in a gusty condition.
Feb 23, 2018 Show Low, AZ N5147N Incident substantial The flight instructor’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind and tailwind conditions.
Feb 22, 2018 Brunswick, GA N410ER Incident substantial
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to see and avoid an airplane holding short of the runway on the taxiway and the flight instructor’s lack of …

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to see and avoid an airplane holding short of the runway on the taxiway and the flight instructor’s lack of situational awareness.

Feb 19, 2018 Obyan, OF N7328F Minor substantial
The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and inadequate in-flight fuel monitoring which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exh…

The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and inadequate in-flight fuel monitoring which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and an emergency landing and subsequent impact with a ditch.

Feb 17, 2018 Broomfield, CO N13453 Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions.
Feb 08, 2018 Centralia, IL N1409U Serious (1) substantial The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
Feb 05, 2018 Juneau, AK N271BJ Incident substantial The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
Jan 29, 2018 Babylon, NY N294ME Incident substantial
The partial loss of engine power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident examination and an e…

The partial loss of engine power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident examination and an engine test run did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Jan 27, 2018 Williamsport, IN N8559U Fatal (1) destroyed The pilot's mismanagement of fuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and descent and collision with trees.
Jan 26, 2018 Silver City, NM N1046F Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Jan 24, 2018 McKinney, TX N9520Z Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper approach and landing flare, which resulted in a porpoised landing.
Jan 21, 2018 Martinsburg, WV N9415B Incident substantial A hydraulic leak in the right main landing gear actuator, which resulted in the main landing gear not extending.
Jan 20, 2018 Cloverdale, CA N64204 Minor substantial The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the approach and his delayed decision to go around.
Dec 29, 2017 Ogden, UT N4395R Fatal (2) substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the water while flying over a lake with glassy surface conditions. Contributing to the accident was the…

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the water while flying over a lake with glassy surface conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of three impairing medications.

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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