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 12, 2024 Monroe, LA N9845L Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Mar 26, 2024 Grenchen, SZ HB-TDD Incident unk Investigation pending
Mar 06, 2024 Guna, IN VT-CHP Incident substantial Investigation pending
Mar 01, 2024 Leesburg, VA N1057R Incident substantial An in-flight collision with a bird while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern.
Feb 26, 2024 Casper, WY N739UE Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while taxiing with a crosswind.
Feb 11, 2024 Madera, CA N737LU Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Feb 10, 2024 Goodyear, AZ N52436 Incident substantial Investigation pending
Feb 05, 2024 Smyrna, TN N2150G Incident substantial An in-flight collision with a bird during initial climb.
Feb 01, 2024 Denholm, CA C-FSSJ Incident substantial Investigation pending
Jan 21, 2024 Speck-Fehraltorf, OF HB-TDA Incident unk Investigation pending
Jan 18, 2024 Grass Valley, CA N7250Q Incident substantial Loss of control during the landing roll due to a malfunctioning brake for undetermined reasons.
Jan 04, 2024 Middleton, WI N3477E Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Dec 23, 2023 Kahului, HI N53725 Incident substantial
A partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in the inability to maintain altitude in the traffic pattern. Co…

A partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in the inability to maintain altitude in the traffic pattern. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s delayed use of carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.

Dec 19, 2023 Red Lake, MN N46056 Incident substantial
The pilot’s inadequate landing surface evaluation and failure to stop the airplane on the frozen lake, which resulted the airplane continuing into a c…

The pilot’s inadequate landing surface evaluation and failure to stop the airplane on the frozen lake, which resulted the airplane continuing into a crack in the ice.

Dec 17, 2023 Stephenville, TX N4501E Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing that resulted in an impact with terrain.
Dec 12, 2023 Kapolei, HI N172CN Incident substantial The first pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach, in gusty crosswind conditions, in an environment favoring wake turbulence.
Dec 11, 2023 Newport News, VA N733QJ Incident substantial An inflight collision with a bird during initial climb.
Dec 08, 2023 Miami, FL N955PT Incident substantial
The business jet flight crew’s failure to appropriately position their airplane to mitigate the impact of their extended duration, high-power engine r…

The business jet flight crew’s failure to appropriately position their airplane to mitigate the impact of their extended duration, high-power engine run, and their failure to adequately communicate these factors to air traffic control, which resulted in the accident airplane encountering their jet blast while taxiing.

Nov 29, 2023 Watsonville, CA N6212F Incident substantial An in-flight collision with a bird while in the initial climb.
Nov 27, 2023 Las Cruces, NM N5495K Incident substantial An encounter with a downdraft during an approach to land, which resulted in a hard landing.
Nov 20, 2023 Blairstown, NJ N739MK Incident substantial
The student pilot’s improper control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control during an attempt…

The student pilot’s improper control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control during an attempted go-around.

Oct 27, 2023 Long Beach, CA N24CV Incident
The local controller’s poor judgment in prioritization of their ground traffic ahead of their airborne traffic, that became a distraction and led to a…

The local controller’s poor judgment in prioritization of their ground traffic ahead of their airborne traffic, that became a distraction and led to a loss of situational awareness resulting in a near midair collision. Contributing to the incident was the controller in charge’s ineffective oversight.

Oct 21, 2023 Orangeburg, SC N7607T Incident substantial
The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a fuel truck while taxiing. Also contributing was the flight instructor’s inadequate m…

The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a fuel truck while taxiing. Also contributing was the flight instructor’s inadequate monitoring of the student pilot.

Oct 21, 2023 Richmond, VA N7716G Incident substantial The loss of engine power due to a restriction of fuel flow as a result of a fractured float bracket in the carburetor.
Oct 20, 2023 Wichita, KS N1413Y Incident substantial
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power d…

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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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