How many accidents has the Cessna 172K had?

The NTSB has recorded 226 events involving the Cessna 172K: 34 fatal, 22 serious, 37 minor injuries, and 133 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172K a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172K has 226 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172K Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 226 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

226

All Events

133

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (62 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Apr 06, 2011	Bar Harbor, ME	N46643	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate landing flare while landing with a gusting wind, which resulted in a hard landing.
Apr 01, 2011	San Antonio, TX	N79286	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Jul 10, 2010	Boyne City, MI	N79097	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and delayed go-around.
May 31, 2010	Wellington, KS	N78612	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to properly secure the airplane while manually starting the engine with the propeller.
Jul 13, 2009	Pine River, MN	N79908	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Sep 03, 2008	Tunkhannock, PA	N79210	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper airspeed while landing.
Jul 02, 2007	Newcastle, UT	N84888	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty and crosswind condition, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.
Jun 07, 2007	Amarillo, TX	N7370G	Incident	substantial	The failure of the left main landing gear spring assembly as a result of an unapproved repair by an unknown person(s), which resulted in a loss of dir… The failure of the left main landing gear spring assembly as a result of an unapproved repair by an unknown person(s), which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll.
May 14, 2007	Emporia, VA	N79941	Incident	substantial	The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll resulting in the on-ground collision with a d… The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll resulting in the on-ground collision with a ditch.
Mar 22, 2007	Cornelia, GA	N46567	Incident	substantial	The failure of the owner/operator to repair or replace a known leaking brake system components resulting in a total loss of brakes while taxing and an… The failure of the owner/operator to repair or replace a known leaking brake system components resulting in a total loss of brakes while taxing and an on-ground collision with trees.
Oct 21, 2005	West Milford, NJ	N46475	Incident	substantial	A loss of aircraft control as a result of the installation of an improper pilot seat which moved during the takeoff roll/run..
Mar 26, 2005	Chino, CA	N7425G	Incident	minor	the pilot of the other airplane's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles while taxiing.
Nov 29, 2004	Smyrna, TN	N78402	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhau… The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Apr 10, 2004	Bogalusa, LA	N84623	Incident	substantial	The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Feb 29, 2004	Angleton, TX	N79502	Incident	destroyed	The unqualified person's failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. A contributing factor was the night light conditions.
Dec 23, 2003	Lake Charles, LA	N111TK	Incident	substantial	The disintegration of the piston, which resulted in the catastrophic failure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain fo… The disintegration of the piston, which resulted in the catastrophic failure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Nov 08, 2003	Kilbourne, OH	N78203	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point which resulted in an overrun and subsequent nose over.
Sep 19, 2003	Ocean Springs, MS	N79491	Incident	substantial	The failure of the pilot to transfer fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank to the right main fuel tank in-flight resulting in total loss of engine power d… The failure of the pilot to transfer fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank to the right main fuel tank in-flight resulting in total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Jun 22, 2003	Overton, NV	N7342G	Incident	substantial	the student pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed and his premature raising of the flaps during a go-around, which led to an inadvertent st… the student pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed and his premature raising of the flaps during a go-around, which led to an inadvertent stall/mush. The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight is also causal.
Jun 08, 2003	Early, TX	N78690	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in a loss of engine power while on approach to land, and subsequent off-air… The student pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in a loss of engine power while on approach to land, and subsequent off-airport landing.
Apr 27, 2003	Burnham, PA	N758XB	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Feb 18, 2003	Jacksonville, TX	N678BC	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation for the flight which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contribut… The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation for the flight which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Jan 14, 2003	Gig Harbor, WA	N1909V	Incident	substantial	The loss of engine power in the climb due to the fracture of the number seven engine crankshaft cheek due to the propagation of a fatigue crack initia… The loss of engine power in the climb due to the fracture of the number seven engine crankshaft cheek due to the propagation of a fatigue crack initiation point. Factors include a vehicle pulling onto the road that the pilot selected for his forced emergency landing.
Nov 23, 2002	Prestonsburg, KY	N7192G	Incident	substantial	The loss of oil pressure for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a failure of connecting rod end bolts, due to an over temperature condition.
Jun 13, 2002	Clarkston, WA	N84840	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during taxi along the gravel landing site after having landed off the designated runway. A co… The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during taxi along the gravel landing site after having landed off the designated runway. A contributing factor was the embankment which the aircraft's left wing impacted during taxi.

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.

← Cessna 172K For Sale All Cessna Models

Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Cessna 172K Safety Record

Report an Issue