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 09, 2012 Bend, OR N698SP Incident substantial The pilot’s inadequate crosswind correction, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and runway excursion into a berm.
Jun 09, 2012 San Andreas, CA N7458X Minor substantial
A loss of engine power in cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any a…

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

May 28, 2012 Hemet, CA N216AF Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to monitor and maintain clearance from an obstacle during taxi.
May 28, 2012 Wentworth, Australia, AS VH-WLF Fatal (1) substantial Investigation pending
May 28, 2012 Rotterdam, The Netherlands, NL PH-SKJ Fatal (4) destroyed Investigation pending
May 27, 2012 Page, AZ N21718 Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare.
May 27, 2012 Gainesville, GA N787LF Incident substantial
The student pilot's improper use of the flight controls during the takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the ac…

The student pilot's improper use of the flight controls during the takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.

May 27, 2012 Silver City, ID N4640L Minor substantial The pilot‘s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in mountainous terrain with reduced visibility, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
May 26, 2012 St. George, UT N953SP Fatal (4) substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an aggressive pitch-up maneuver, which resulted in a low-altitude aerodynamic stall shortly a…

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an aggressive pitch-up maneuver, which resulted in a low-altitude aerodynamic stall shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from alcohol consumption and an over-gross-weight airplane.

May 26, 2012 Fort Scott, KS N5258Y Incident substantial
The student pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s diverted attention to re…

The student pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s diverted attention to retract the flaps.

May 25, 2012 Wichita, KS N73743 Minor substantial
The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a colli…

The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a collision with terrain.

May 20, 2012 Crossville, TN N456MB Incident substantial The pilot's attempt to avoid a deer on the runway, which resulted in a runway excursion.
May 11, 2012 Immokalee, FL N5253B Incident substantial The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing.
May 07, 2012 Spokane, WA N54036 Incident substantial The student pilot's improper landing flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
May 07, 2012 Culebra, PR N24461 Minor substantial The pilot's failure to remove the flight control lock before takeoff.
May 05, 2012 Cambridge, NY N5551R Minor substantial The pilot’s loss of airplane control during a takeoff in variable crosswind conditions.
May 01, 2012 Three Rivers, MI N30380 Incident substantial Collision with a deer during the takeoff roll.
Apr 28, 2012 Beckwourth, CA N2559U Serious (1) substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Apr 26, 2012 Glendale, AZ N320ME Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate flare and compensation for gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Apr 19, 2012 Richmond, KY N28BC Incident substantial
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s failure to supervise the student’s prefl…

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s failure to supervise the student’s preflight inspection, his inadequate fuel management and preflight and in-flight fuel planning, and the operator’s inadequate fueling policies and procedures.

Apr 12, 2012 Prescott, AZ N17304 Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Apr 10, 2012 Monroe, LA N5253Q Incident substantial The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and loss of directional control.
Apr 09, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL N375LP Incident substantial A total loss of engine power due to a catastrophic engine failure, the origin of which could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Apr 05, 2012 Pottstown, PA N6871H Incident substantial The pilot’s inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control.
Apr 03, 2012 Johnson Valley, CA N6749A Minor substantial The pilot did not properly secure the airplane prior to rotating the propeller by hand, resulting in inadvertent movement of the airplane.
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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