How many accidents has the Cessna 172H had?

The NTSB has recorded 180 events involving the Cessna 172H: 25 fatal, 28 serious, 30 minor injuries, and 97 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172H a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172H has 180 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172H Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 180 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

180

All Events

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (43 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jun 22, 1990	BROOKVILLE, OH	N715HR	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ENCOUNTERING GUSTY, SHIFTY WINDS AND WINDSHEAR DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT AFTE… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ENCOUNTERING GUSTY, SHIFTY WINDS AND WINDSHEAR DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT AFTER TAKEOFF.
May 03, 1990	SAN ANGELO, TX	N3941R	Incident	substantial	THE STUDENT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF IN VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS.
Mar 18, 1990	ANDOVER, NJ	N8213L	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE DURING LANDING.
Oct 21, 1989	DEL NORTE, CO	N1639F	Serious (2)	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING CLIMB RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Oct 14, 1989	BAY CITY, MI	N1407F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Sep 01, 1989	SPARREVOHN, AK	N2459L	Incident	substantial	THE BUCKET WHICH WAS BLOWN INTO THE FLIGHT PATH BY A CROSSWIND.
Aug 15, 1989	LAKE VILLAGE, IN	N2484L	Incident	substantial	WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL/FUEL SYSTEM AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTO… WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL/FUEL SYSTEM AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Aug 06, 1989	DANA POINT, CA	N2667L	Fatal (1)	destroyed	PILOT-IN-COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE IN MANEUVERING FLIGHT.
Jul 12, 1989	HATTON, ND	N3269L	Minor	destroyed	IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (S… IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (SHELTER BELT), AND DOWNDRAFT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Apr 03, 1989	ODENTON, MD	N8027L	Minor	substantial	THE INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH BIRDS.
Mar 21, 1989	MELBOURNE, FL	N1480F	Serious (1)	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF AN INAPPROPRIATE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF AND HIS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
Dec 01, 1987	PADUCAH, KY	N2522L	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Oct 16, 1987	INDIAN HEAD, MD	N9WB	Fatal (1)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Oct 06, 1987	ONEONTA, NY	N1677F	Incident	destroyed	Investigation pending
Sep 25, 1987	CHUCKEY, TN	N3885R	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 23, 1987	LARIMORE, ND	N1725F	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Feb 16, 1987	CARRIZOZO, NM	N1741F	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 30, 1986	MOSINEE, WI	N3220L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 31, 1986	ALBUQUERQUE, NM	N3809R	Minor	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 11, 1986	KISSIMMEE, FL	N1448F	Serious (1)	substantial	Investigation pending
May 14, 1986	GREAT FALLS, MT	N3749R	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 14, 1986	CROSSROADS, NM	N2896L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 31, 1986	BRISTOW, OK	N2826L	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 13, 1986	WILLIAMS, MN	N3706R	Serious (1)	substantial	Investigation pending
Mar 12, 1986	UPPER MARLBORO, MD	N2780L	Incident	substantial	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

Cessna 172H Safety Record

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