Cessna 172 Safety Record
Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 6810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.
| Date | Location | Reg# | Severity | Damage | Probable Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 07, 2020 | Stuart Island, WA | N172CS | Minor | substantial | The pilot’s improper approach airspeed and landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and nose over. |
| May 02, 2020 | Fresno, CA | N734NW | Minor | substantial | The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence. |
| Apr 20, 2020 | Yakima, WA | N75765 | Minor | substantial | The pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude during a go-around, which resulted in impact with hilly terrain. |
| Mar 17, 2020 | Kahului, HI | N738DB | Minor | substantial |
The student pilot's failure to avoid wake turbulence while landing behind a heavy jet airplane, which resulted in a loss of roll control and subsequen…The student pilot's failure to avoid wake turbulence while landing behind a heavy jet airplane, which resulted in a loss of roll control and subsequent hard landing. |
| Jan 06, 2020 | Cork, EI | EI-DDX | Minor | substantial | Investigation pending |
| Dec 23, 2019 | Pineville, LA | N739SB | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's failure to attain an adequate climb rate during an aborted landing with a left quartering, gusting headwind, which resulted in impact with…The pilot's failure to attain an adequate climb rate during an aborted landing with a left quartering, gusting headwind, which resulted in impact with a tree. |
| Nov 13, 2019 | Toms River, NJ | N2148E | Minor | substantial |
The failure of the Cessna 172N pilot to see and avoid a second airplane while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision…The failure of the Cessna 172N pilot to see and avoid a second airplane while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the Cessna 172N pilot to tune his radio to the correct traffic advisory frequency for the destination airport. |
| Oct 25, 2019 | Swea City, IA | N1443E | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's failure to replace the oil filler cap during his preflight inspection, which resulted in oil starvation and a subsequent total loss of eng…The pilot's failure to replace the oil filler cap during his preflight inspection, which resulted in oil starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power. |
| Oct 05, 2019 | Kaplan, LA | N7871U | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and impact with a pole during an off-airport la…The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and impact with a pole during an off-airport landing. |
| Aug 29, 2019 | Denver, CO | N53432 | Minor | substantial | A total loss of electrical power for reasons that could not be determined, and the student pilot’s subsequent runway overrun during a no-flap landing. |
| Aug 11, 2019 | New Carlisle, OH | N8928B | Minor | substantial |
The pilot’s excessive use of pitch control during rotation, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aero…The pilot’s excessive use of pitch control during rotation, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aerodynamic stall shortly after liftoff. |
| Jul 30, 2019 | WESTMINSTER, MD | N618PD | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's improper decision to continue the landing with the airplane high and fast during the approach, which resulted in a long landing and a subs…The pilot's improper decision to continue the landing with the airplane high and fast during the approach, which resulted in a long landing and a subsequent runway overrun and nose-over. |
| Jul 22, 2019 | Madras, OR | N3761L | Minor | substantial |
A partial loss of power during final approach for undetermined reasons as postaccident examinations did not reveal any preimpact anomalies with the ai…A partial loss of power during final approach for undetermined reasons as postaccident examinations did not reveal any preimpact anomalies with the airplane or engine. |
| Jul 21, 2019 | Port Townsend, WA | N3863L | Minor | substantial | The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information. |
| Jun 30, 2019 | Manteo, NC | N78658 | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stal…The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. |
| Jun 15, 2019 | Lebanon, KY | N75903 | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion, impact with …The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion, impact with a ditch, and subsequent nose-over. |
| May 15, 2019 | Manvel, TX | N5788R | Minor | substantial | The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in impact with a ditch. |
| Apr 30, 2019 | New Bern, NC | N733UF | Minor | substantial | The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. |
| Apr 14, 2019 | New York, NY | N5296H | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's decision to initiate a flight into low instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in six missed approaches at two airports and a t…The pilot's decision to initiate a flight into low instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in six missed approaches at two airports and a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the external pressure the pilot felt to complete the accident flight despite the poor weather conditions. |
| Apr 02, 2019 | Clemson, SC | N54222 | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack when it inad…The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack when it inadvertently became airborne, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. |
| Mar 31, 2019 | Stephenville, TX | N902RA | Minor | substantial |
The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in gusting cr…The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in gusting crosswind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s demonstrated crosswind for landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over. |
| Feb 10, 2019 | Lignum, VA | N7414N | Minor | substantial | A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. |
| Jan 20, 2019 | Aguilares, TX | N99308 | Minor | substantial | The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. |
| Dec 20, 2018 | Center, TX | N8487X | Minor | substantial |
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic sta…The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. |
| Dec 02, 2018 | Santa Rita, OF | N98884 | Minor | substantial | A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. |