Cessna 172E Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 100 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

100

All Events

51

Incidents

29

Minor

9

Serious

11

Fatal (18 fatalities)

Date Location Reg# Severity Damage Probable Cause
Apr 03, 2010 West Milford, NJ N5528T Fatal (1) substantial The complete loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Aug 22, 2004 Decorah, IA N5410T Fatal (2) destroyed
The pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with a defective magneto, his failure to abort the takeoff due to degraded aircraft performance, and…

The pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with a defective magneto, his failure to abort the takeoff due to degraded aircraft performance, and his failure to obtain or maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin and subsequent impact with the ground. Contributing factors were the improper installation of the magneto's contact points by unknown entities due to undertorque of the mounting screws which led to the loss of engine power.

Apr 13, 2001 Bay City, TX N5638T Fatal (1) destroyed
the pilot's delay in taking remedial action (contacting ATC) after he became lost/disoriented during a night cross country flight, which resulted in a…

the pilot's delay in taking remedial action (contacting ATC) after he became lost/disoriented during a night cross country flight, which resulted in a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors to the accident were the pilot's failure to contact a flight service station for a weather briefing, the low clouds and dark night light conditions.

Nov 25, 1997 TOPEKA, KS N5332T Fatal (1) substantial the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat. Contributing factors were carburetor icing conditions, dark night conditions, and the transmission wire.
Oct 26, 1997 ELKTON, VA N3097U Fatal (1) destroyed The pilot's intention VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were clouds and mountainous/hilly terrain..
Sep 04, 1992 TUCKAHOE, NJ N3847S Fatal (1) destroyed
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTA…

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK (OR DARKNESS), AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Apr 08, 1990 SANTA PAULA, CA N39155 Fatal (2) destroyed
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION AND HIS DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION IN EXECUTING A 180 DEGREE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT …

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION AND HIS DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION IN EXECUTING A 180 DEGREE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Sep 05, 1988 PETERSBURG, AK N3841S Fatal (4) destroyed Investigation pending
Aug 13, 1988 FLOWEREE, MS N5555T Fatal (1) destroyed Investigation pending
Dec 21, 1986 CROSSROADS, NM N7821U Fatal (1) destroyed Investigation pending
Sep 27, 1983 LEESVILLE, LA N3058U Fatal (3) destroyed Investigation pending
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