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 19, 2015 Naples, FL N100PM Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control, resulting in a hard landing.
Apr 17, 2015 Sebastian, FL N66090 Incident substantial The pilot's misjudged airspeed and glidepath, which resulted in a landing area overshoot and runway excursion.
Apr 17, 2015 Tamuning, USA N9853L Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control, resulting in a hard landing.
Apr 14, 2015 Hilo, HI N12842 Serious (3) substantial
Water contamination in the fuel system due to the flight instructor’s and pilot receiving instruction’s failure to drain all the water from the system…

Water contamination in the fuel system due to the flight instructor’s and pilot receiving instruction’s failure to drain all the water from the system during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

Apr 12, 2015 Santander, CO HK5064G Fatal (3) substantial Investigation pending
Mar 28, 2015 Vernal, UT N2168D Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain attitude control during landing flare.
Mar 24, 2015 Circleville, TX N8282L Incident substantial
The failure of the engine to regain normal power after a simulated engine failure due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing on muddy…

The failure of the engine to regain normal power after a simulated engine failure due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing on muddy terrain and a subsequent nose-over.

Mar 23, 2015 Camarillo, CA N2104H Incident substantial The pilot involved and the phase of flight when the damage occurred were not determined.
Mar 15, 2015 Williamson, GA N8452X Minor substantial
The separation of the nosewheel upon landing due to a missing bolt that attached the upper torque assembly to the nosewheel steering arm assembly. Whe…

The separation of the nosewheel upon landing due to a missing bolt that attached the upper torque assembly to the nosewheel steering arm assembly. When and how the bolt separated could not be determined.

Mar 08, 2015 Newport, RI N65645 Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, and his subsequent failure to recover from a bounced landing, which resulted …

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, and his subsequent failure to recover from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

Mar 07, 2015 Richmond, VA N144ME Incident substantial The student pilot's inadequate landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage to the airplane.
Feb 21, 2015 Kankakee, IL N54974 Incident substantial The student pilot's improper flight control inputs resulting in the loss of control during the landing flare.
Jan 26, 2015 Makaha, HI N422BP Minor substantial A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was ditched and not recovered.
Jan 25, 2015 Routt County, CO N8368U Serious (1) substantial The pilot’s intentional flight into terrain.
Jan 23, 2015 Nashua, NH N35560 Incident substantial
The student pilot's lack of vigilance during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked truck. A factor in the accident was the truck operator'…

The student pilot's lack of vigilance during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked truck. A factor in the accident was the truck operator's decision to park on the edge of an active taxiway.

Jan 19, 2015 Lowell, MI N7854U Serious (1) substantial The student pilot’s loss of airplane control during a go-around after not applying sufficient engine power.
Jan 17, 2015 Ualapue, HI N5660E Serious (1) substantial A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered.
Jan 17, 2015 Holland, MI N7061G Incident substantial The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Jan 16, 2015 New Castle, PA N7079Q Incident substantial Pilot's inadequate control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Jan 06, 2015 Norfolk, VA N2102P Incident substantial
The engine’s failure to regain full power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations a…

The engine’s failure to regain full power after a simulated engine failure for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations and testing.

Jan 05, 2015 Marquette, MI N6591H Incident substantial The pilot did not maintain directional control during takeoff on the snow and ice covered runway in gusting crosswind conditions.
Jan 04, 2015 Fresno, CA N2948U Incident substantial The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Dec 29, 2014 Port Arthur, Australia, AS VH-PFT Fatal (2) substantial Investigation pending
Dec 24, 2014 Sutter Creek, CA N8518B Fatal (2) substantial
The noninstrument-rated pilot's encounter with instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of airplane cont…

The noninstrument-rated pilot's encounter with instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt to descend into an area of widespread IMC.

Dec 22, 2014 South Bimini, BF N12182 Minor substantial
The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have…

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, which resulted in a subsequent ditching in the ocean.

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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