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 10, 2016 Kingston, JM N101KA Fatal (3) destroyed Investigation pending
Nov 10, 2016 Concord, NH N53402 Incident substantial The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Nov 08, 2016 Sarasota, FL N2272C Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Nov 08, 2016 Salmon, ID N737MY Incident substantial The airplane's encounter with a depression in a dirt runway during takeoff, which resulted in a tail strike.
Nov 07, 2016 Englewood, CO N6026Z Incident substantial An in-flight collision with multiple birds.
Nov 04, 2016 Danville, KY N456SP Incident substantial The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Oct 29, 2016 Palmer, AK N6353E Fatal (1) substantial
The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a steep climbing turn following a touch-and-go landing, which resulte…

The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a steep climbing turn following a touch-and-go landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

Oct 20, 2016 Carrabassett, ME N1706F Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Oct 19, 2016 Cedar Key, FL N1827Y Minor substantial
A partial loss of engine power due to a stuck exhaust valve and the noncertificated pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the airpl…

A partial loss of engine power due to a stuck exhaust valve and the noncertificated pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the airplane being overloaded, both of which led to the airplane's inability to attain a positive climb rate. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to attempt to return to the airport at low altitude and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall.

Oct 16, 2016 Peloponnese, GR 5B-CLB Fatal (2) destroyed Investigation pending
Oct 08, 2016 Ocean Springs, MS N3379E Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while landing in windy conditions.
Oct 08, 2016 Argyle, NY N3943F Minor substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain a stable descent rate and his improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Oct 07, 2016 Brits, North West Province, SF ZS-MPF Incident substantial Investigation pending
Oct 06, 2016 Phoenix, AZ N602ND Incident substantial
The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control during a go-around and a runway excursi…

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control during a go-around and a runway excursion.

Oct 05, 2016 Kapolei, HI N429ES Incident substantial The pilot’s use of an excessive pitch attitude during the landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Oct 04, 2016 Wilmot, WI N46377 Incident substantial
A failure of the No. 1 piston pin plug due to corrosion in the cylinder barrel, which resulted in oil contamination, oil starvation to the crankshaft …

A failure of the No. 1 piston pin plug due to corrosion in the cylinder barrel, which resulted in oil contamination, oil starvation to the crankshaft connecting rod bearings, and a subsequent partial loss of engine power.

Oct 01, 2016 Fort Lauderdale, FL N497SJ Incident substantial The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a nose landing gear collapse.
Sep 27, 2016 Laytonsville, MD N52126 Fatal (1) destroyed
The pilot/mechanic's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of att…

The pilot/mechanic's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Also causal was the pilot/mechanic's failure to service the engine with oil following maintenance, which resulted in the total loss of engine power.

Sep 25, 2016 Pittsfield, MA N73101 Serious (1) substantial
The student pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate and runway alignment during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane touc…

The student pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate and runway alignment during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway and impacting a ditch.

Sep 19, 2016 Chesterfield, MO N52265 Serious (1) destroyed The pilot's unstable approach and subsequent loss of airplane control during an attempted go-around.
Sep 18, 2016 Auburn, CA N7560D Incident substantial The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Sep 16, 2016 Tooele, UT N461SP Incident substantial The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Sep 12, 2016 Covington, GA N5283R Incident substantial The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Sep 11, 2016 Parafield Aerodrome, Australia, AS VH-MKG Fatal (1) Investigation pending
Sep 03, 2016 Hollywood, FL N6091E Fatal (2) destroyed
The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in continued flight into a thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of airpl…

The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in continued flight into a thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of airplane control.

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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