How many accidents has the Cessna 172A had?

The NTSB has recorded 64 events involving the Cessna 172A: 8 fatal, 7 serious, 15 minor injuries, and 34 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172A a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172A has 64 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172A Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 64 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

All Events

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (10 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Feb 24, 2013	Vineland, MN	N76NG	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s decision to attempt a touch-and-go landing on a narrow, ice-covered road with snow banks on each side.
Oct 03, 2009	Payson, AZ	N7810T	Incident	substantial	The stress corrosion cracking of the nose gear landing fork, which resulted in the fork's failure during landing.
May 26, 2009	Glenburn, ME	N6843X	Incident	substantial	The pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed during landing.
Mar 20, 2009	Corsicana, TX	N7326T	Incident	destroyed	The pilot's improper flare.
May 13, 2008	Jamestown, PA	N9822T	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain control after takeoff resulting in contact with the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate pr… The pilot's failure to maintain control after takeoff resulting in contact with the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning resulting in a takeoff from a short, wet, soft, runway.
Apr 25, 2007	Sarasota, FL	N7224T	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during landing, and collision with objects. Factors asso… The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during landing, and collision with objects. Factors associated with the accident were wind gusts and a crosswind.
Jun 09, 2006	Durant, OK	N9733T	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin.
Jan 08, 2006	Othello, WA	N9852T	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. A factor was the berm.
Dec 11, 2005	Corona, CA	N7187T	Incident	substantial	failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other during traffic pattern operations at a non-towered airport.
Mar 11, 2005	Emigrant Gap, CA	N4682G	Incident	substantial	the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his selection of an unsuitable landing area, resulting in an encounter with a snow-covered runway.
Feb 22, 2002	Albuquerque, NM	N6845X	Incident	substantial	the pilot's delay in executing a go-around while conducting a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in an in flight collision with terrain.
Dec 18, 1999	SHOSHONE, CA	N34261	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing strong and gusting wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control.
May 24, 1998	TEN SLEEP, WY	N9863T	Incident	destroyed	The student pilot's failure to select a proper touchdown point. A factor was his lack of recent experience conducting solo flight operations.
May 17, 1998	VAN NUYS, CA	N7222T	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance due to his inadequate visual lookout and selection of the wrong taxi route. Contributing factors w… The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance due to his inadequate visual lookout and selection of the wrong taxi route. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention while taxiing in the vicinity of a construction area.
Mar 25, 1998	PAXSON, AK	N7339T	Incident	destroyed	The pilots failure to maintain terrain clearance while flying into a box canyon, and an inadvertent stall during his attempt to reverse direction.
Oct 03, 1997	GRAND JUNCTION, CO	N7692T	Incident	substantial	Encounter with high gusting winds while standing with the engine running
Aug 30, 1995	WEED, CA	N7641T	Incident	substantial	the flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
Jul 26, 1994	BLOCK ISLAND, RI	N5647A	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper decision to initiate VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. The dark night light conditions and the fog were cont… The pilot's improper decision to initiate VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. The dark night light conditions and the fog were contributing factors.
Apr 05, 1991	HOOD RIVER, OR	N9852T	Incident	substantial	AN INADEQUATELY PLANNED APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE ROUGH WATER LANDING CONDITIONS, POOR SUPERVISION BY T… AN INADEQUATELY PLANNED APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE ROUGH WATER LANDING CONDITIONS, POOR SUPERVISION BY THE CFI, AND THE OVERLOAD CONDITION TO THE FLOAT ASSEMBLY.
May 07, 1990	POCOMOKE, MD	N7746T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWWN POINT DURING THE LANDING. … THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWWN POINT DURING THE LANDING. THE DITCH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Apr 28, 1990	MT. PLEASANT, PA	N7616T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, A PREMATURE LIFT-OFF, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE… THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, A PREMATURE LIFT-OFF, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND.
Apr 13, 1990	VILLA RICA, GA	N7677T	Incident	substantial	FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, INITIATED BY THE COMBINATION OF A BLOCKED FUEL TANK VENT LINE AND A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL FILLER CAP. A FACTOR IN THE ACC… FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, INITIATED BY THE COMBINATION OF A BLOCKED FUEL TANK VENT LINE AND A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL FILLER CAP. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, IN THAT HE DID NOT DETECT THE FUEL VENT LINE BLOCKAGE.
Feb 03, 1990	PAHOKEE, FL	N6812X	Incident	substantial	LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AM UNDETERMINED REASON.
Jan 08, 1990	RENO, NV	N7878T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO AR… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO ARRIVE AT WORK ON TIME, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL PILOT EXPERIENCE.
Jun 12, 1989	MADISON HEIGHTS, VA	N7605T	Incident	substantial	STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT WHICH RESULTED IN THE INITIATION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS T… STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT WHICH RESULTED IN THE INITIATION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED DURING THE FLIGHT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LOW FUEL LEVEL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

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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Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Cessna 172A Safety Record

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