How many accidents has the Cessna 172 had?

The NTSB has recorded 6810 events involving the Cessna 172: 960 fatal, 542 serious, 1048 minor injuries, and 4223 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172 has 6810 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

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
Dec 28, 2007	Houston, TX	N1458U	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was prevailing crosswind.
Dec 26, 2007	Fullerton, CA	N13974	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain clearance while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
Dec 26, 2007	Northampton, MA	N5425K	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll and inadequate supervision by the CFI.
Dec 18, 2007	Talladega, AL	N2180E	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Dec 14, 2007	El Cajon, CA	N567SP	Incident	substantial	The excessive speed while turning off of the runway which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. The ditch was a factor.
Dec 09, 2007	Fair Bluff, NC	N3699S	Incident	destroyed	The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect contaminated fuel, and subsequent loss of engine power.
Dec 08, 2007	Hastings, MI	N173DA	Incident	substantial	The student pilot failed to maintain directional control during landing. Factors were the ditch and the icy runway.
Dec 01, 2007	Gaithersburg, MD	N259ER	Minor	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an attempted touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's delay in … The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an attempted touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's delay in taking remedial action, and the presence of trees in proximity to the side of the runway.
Nov 28, 2007	Bridgeport, TX	N64197	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the airplane while landing with a crosswind. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.
Nov 28, 2007	Marlow, OK	N6555D	Fatal (2)	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and impact with terrain. Contributing to the … The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident were the low altitude for recovery and the gusty tailwind.
Nov 21, 2007	Hamilton, NJ	N172MG	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Nov 18, 2007	McKinnon, TN	N5803A	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to perform a go around.
Nov 17, 2007	Statesboro, GA	N6492E	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain a proper flare at touchdown.
Nov 17, 2007	Atwater, CA	N3318E	Minor	substantial	The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and … The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and the ditch.
Nov 05, 2007	Nashville, TN	N5555R	Incident	substantial	A propwash encounter during taxi from a four-engine airplane that overturned the pilot's single-engine airplane when he elected to taxi across the lar… A propwash encounter during taxi from a four-engine airplane that overturned the pilot's single-engine airplane when he elected to taxi across the larger airplane's propwash.
Nov 03, 2007	Gladwin, MI	N8353L	Fatal (1)	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention… The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention while attempting to photograph ground objects.
Oct 29, 2007	Brookings, SD	N77LU	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of solo fl… The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of solo flight experience and the runway sign.
Oct 29, 2007	Palm Springs, CA	N21101	Fatal (1)	substantial	The flight instructor's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall during takeoff-initial climb, and his impairment from alcohol.
Oct 28, 2007	Duluth, MN	N4366R	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind weather condition… The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind weather condition.
Oct 26, 2007	Stillwater, OK	N5181A	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Oct 24, 2007	Grand Junction, CO	N1422E	Incident	substantial	the pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing.
Oct 20, 2007	Daggett, CA	N5323D	Incident	substantial	The flight's encounter with a strong gusty wind condition.
Oct 20, 2007	Lufkin, TX	N172GH	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Oct 18, 2007	Rangeley, ME	N92737	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare/touchdown. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted at… The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare/touchdown. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
Oct 12, 2007	Glendale, AZ	N9914F	Incident	substantial	the student pilot's improper bounced landing recovery technique, improper use of the flight controls, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of t… the student pilot's improper bounced landing recovery technique, improper use of the flight controls, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

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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Cessna 172 Safety Record

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