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
Aug 03, 2012 Leesville, LA N989BT Minor substantial
The student pilot's failure to properly re-configure the airplane for a go-around, which resulted in a runway excursion when he decided to land on the…

The student pilot's failure to properly re-configure the airplane for a go-around, which resulted in a runway excursion when he decided to land on the remaining runway.

Aug 03, 2012 Culpeper, VA N6276Z Minor substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during an attempted takeoff.
Aug 01, 2012 Oshkosh, WI N462TR Incident substantial The flight instructor’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a collision with a runway light.
Jul 28, 2012 Grand Canyon, AZ N8100B Minor substantial The pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Jul 26, 2012 Plainville, CT N64182 Fatal (1) substantial The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during final approach in visual meteorological conditions, resulting in collision with a berm.
Jul 25, 2012 San Juan, PR N73115 Fatal (1) substantial
Maintenance personnel’s improper lubrication of the right direct aileron control cable and failure to detect the severe corrosion of the cable during …

Maintenance personnel’s improper lubrication of the right direct aileron control cable and failure to detect the severe corrosion of the cable during a maintenance inspection, which resulted in the in-flight failure of the cable, the pilot’s subsequent inability to maintain aircraft control, and the airplane’s impact with terrain.

Jul 25, 2012 Ashland, OR N738AJ Incident substantial The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jul 21, 2012 Hammond, NY N6778H Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Jul 21, 2012 Portreath, UK G-ROUP Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
Jul 18, 2012 St. Augustine, FL N127EP Incident substantial Undetermined due to a lack of information about when the damage to the airplane occurred.
Jul 16, 2012 Rockford, ID N5204K Incident substantial
A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight due to the failure of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve for reasons that could not be determined du…

A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight due to the failure of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve for reasons that could not be determined due to the damage to the valve head and the missing valve stem. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s improper approach to the runway, which resulted in an aborted landing and subsequent off-airport landing.

Jul 10, 2012 Grand Forks, ND N548ND Incident substantial The student pilot’s inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jul 10, 2012 South Wayne, WI N12504 Serious (1) substantial Internal engine component failures, which resulted from oil starvation due to debris in the oil system.
Jul 09, 2012 Allentown, PA N680MA Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and a subsequent impac…

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and a subsequent impact with a gopher hole, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot and his delayed remedial action.

Jul 04, 2012 Greers Ferry, AR N84279 Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain a positive rate of climb while taking off with a high density altitude.
Jul 01, 2012 Griswold, IA N73182 Serious (1) substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Jun 30, 2012 Glenwood Springs, CO N917SA Minor substantial
The pilot's decision to fly into a mountainous area where conditions were such that the airplane was unable to climb above rising terrain. Contributin…

The pilot's decision to fly into a mountainous area where conditions were such that the airplane was unable to climb above rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's insufficient pilot-in-command experience and inadequate training in mountain flying.

Jun 27, 2012 Smyrna, TN N80985 Incident substantial The pilot’s inadequate flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jun 26, 2012 West Palm Beach, FL N961MC Incident substantial
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the…

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct takeoffs and landings in conditions exceeding the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind capability.

Jun 23, 2012 Veneta, OR N5781A Fatal (4) substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and altitude to clear trees during the initial climb after takeoff.
Jun 17, 2012 Frederick, MD N387AF Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jun 16, 2012 Skwentna, AK N5874A Incident substantial The improper decision of the driver of the all-terrain vehicle to enter an active runway.
Jun 15, 2012 Tupelo, MS N78794 Incident substantial The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Jun 15, 2012 Churchville, MD N73134 Incident substantial The tractor operator's failure to confirm the landing airplane's position before entering an active runway, which resulted in a ground collision.
Jun 10, 2012 Moscow Mills, MO N3736R Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff in a gusty crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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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