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 08, 2014 Page, AZ N5589E Incident substantial
The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, his inadequate recovery from the subsequent bounced landing, and his decision to perfor…

The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, his inadequate recovery from the subsequent bounced landing, and his decision to perform a go-around with insufficient airspeed to climb.

Jun 06, 2014 Laytonville, CA N1186U Fatal (1) substantial The pilot’s impairment due to alcohol ingestion, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from trees during a low-altitude flyby.
Jun 03, 2014 Padre Island, TX N734BY Incident substantial The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
May 31, 2014 Mount Pleasant, PA N8394U Minor substantial The pilot's incorrect takeoff procedures from the soft grass runway and his delay in aborting the takeoff after recognizing slow acceleration.
May 30, 2014 Bluffton, OH N5495K Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in a hard landing.
May 30, 2014 Fairbanks, AK N8646U Incident substantial
The pilot's improper inflight planning, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power. A factor was the pilot's selection of a low crui…

The pilot's improper inflight planning, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power. A factor was the pilot's selection of a low cruise flight altitude, which provided little time for the selection of suitable terrain for the forced landing or for engine restart procedures.

May 23, 2014 Harrisburg, PA N193ME Incident substantial The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
May 19, 2014 Buckeye, AZ N1590W Incident substantial The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
May 09, 2014 Deland, FL N493ER Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student …

The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot resulting in abnormal runway contact and damage to the airplane.

Apr 25, 2014 Llano, TX N9373F Incident substantial
The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact fai…

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Apr 23, 2014 Gracias, HO HR-AVN Fatal (4) destroyed <br /><br />
Apr 22, 2014 Huntsville, AL N35553 Incident substantial The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Apr 10, 2014 Everett, WA N1152Z Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a takeoff, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway surface and colliding with…

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a takeoff, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway surface and colliding with a sign.

Apr 08, 2014 Albuquerque, NM N5306U Incident substantial The student pilot's improper flare that resulted in a bounced landing.
Apr 07, 2014 Daytona Beach, FL N2630B Incident substantial
The inadvertent encounter with a microburst during taxi from landing that resulted in the aircraft being turned over inverted and receiving substantia…

The inadvertent encounter with a microburst during taxi from landing that resulted in the aircraft being turned over inverted and receiving substantial damage.

Apr 05, 2014 Larimore, ND N510ND Incident substantial
Failure of the pilot to attain and maintain sufficient control inputs to compensate for the crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the flight ins…

Failure of the pilot to attain and maintain sufficient control inputs to compensate for the crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to adequately monitor the pilot and the flight.

Apr 01, 2014 Anacortes, WA N19982 Incident substantial The pilot's improper application of brakes during the landing roll resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.
Mar 26, 2014 Inarajan, USA N9551L Incident substantial
A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomali…

A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Mar 24, 2014 Carlisle, PA N4214F Serious (1) substantial
The pilot's decision to depart with a known mechanical malfunction and his improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due …

The pilot's decision to depart with a known mechanical malfunction and his improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and subsequent impact with terrain during an off-airport landing.

Mar 23, 2014 Knoxville, TN N8893V Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a collision with an obstacle.
Mar 22, 2014 Mt Olive, NC N8988B Incident substantial The pilot's failure to adequately secure the airplane before hand-propping the engine for startup.
Mar 21, 2014 Marine City, MI N739RX Incident substantial The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Mar 18, 2014 Elizabethton, TN N46603 Minor substantial
The pilot’s delayed decision to maneuver around rising terrain, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was…

The pilot’s delayed decision to maneuver around rising terrain, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to calculate the performance requirements needed to climb over mountainous terrain before the flight.

Mar 14, 2014 Brooksville, FL N80457 Incident substantial The pilot's failure to compensate for the reported crosswind conditions resulting in the wings contacting the ground.
Mar 08, 2014 Fairhope, AL N2755U Serious (1) destroyed
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate separation from a helicopter during the approach to landing, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopt…

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate separation from a helicopter during the approach to landing, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopter’s trailing vortices, a loss of airplane control, and impact with terrain.

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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