How many accidents has the Cessna 172M had?

The NTSB has recorded 810 events involving the Cessna 172M: 128 fatal, 72 serious, 136 minor injuries, and 472 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172M a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172M has 810 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172M Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 810 events recorded from 1974 to 2026.

810

All Events

472

Incidents

136

Minor

Serious

128

Fatal (233 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Sep 02, 1992	HERNANDO, MS	N64001	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND CONDITION, RESULTING IN A GROUND LOOP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND CONDITION, RESULTING IN A GROUND LOOP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Jun 10, 1992	HASTINGS, MI	N80490	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNDERSHOOT AND DAMAGE TO THE ELEVATOR. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT-IN-COMMA… THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNDERSHOOT AND DAMAGE TO THE ELEVATOR. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FAILED TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE AIRPLANE FOR DAMAGE PRIOR TO FURTHER FLIGHT.
May 23, 1992	COATESVILLE, PA	N733PG	Incident	substantial	THE PASSENGERS INTERFERENCE WITH THE CONTROL YOKE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE ENTERING AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE, AND THE PILOT OVERSTRESSING THE WINGS … THE PASSENGERS INTERFERENCE WITH THE CONTROL YOKE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE ENTERING AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE, AND THE PILOT OVERSTRESSING THE WINGS DURING THE RECOVERY.
May 19, 1992	CLIMAX SPRINGS, MO	N80255	Incident	substantial	DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
May 02, 1992	CANTON, TX	N9623V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND FOLLOWING AN ENCOUNTER WITH ADVERSE WIND COND… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND FOLLOWING AN ENCOUNTER WITH ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS ON APPROACH.
Apr 18, 1992	HAINES, AK	N80115	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE AIRSPEED AN SOFT/SANDY TERRAIN.
Apr 04, 1992	OSAGE BEACH, MO	N9568V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO USE ALL TH EAVAILABLE RUNWAY AND HIS MISJUDGMENT OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING LANDING.
Nov 26, 1991	SAIPAN, CQ	N733PB	Incident	destroyed	A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CORRECTLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
Nov 02, 1991	SPRINGER, NM	N61539	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING FLIGHT INTO FORCASTED ADVERSE WEATHER, HIS DISREGARD FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY RECEIVED WHICH RESULT… THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING FLIGHT INTO FORCASTED ADVERSE WEATHER, HIS DISREGARD FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY RECEIVED WHICH RESULTED IN PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF A BLOCKED INDUCTION SYSTEM DUE TO ICE AND SNOW, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE RUNWAY.
Oct 04, 1991	ERIE, CO	N80650	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL LAND HIS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE: CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND THE… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL LAND HIS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE: CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Oct 03, 1991	BETHEL, AK	N20024	Incident	substantial	A POWER LOSS OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER.
Sep 12, 1991	NORWOOD, MA	N71393	Incident	substantial	PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS REL… PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL, AND LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.
Aug 16, 1991	OAK HARBOR, WA	CGFTE	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S ALLOWING THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY BELOW THE STALL SPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION… THE PILOT'S ALLOWING THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY BELOW THE STALL SPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL RECENT EXPERIENCE.
Jul 20, 1991	LITTLE ROCK, WA	N12958	Incident	substantial	A DELAYED GO-AROUND, AND AIRSPEED NOT BEING MAINTAINED. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOT… A DELAYED GO-AROUND, AND AIRSPEED NOT BEING MAINTAINED. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, MISJUDGED CLEARANCE, AND THE USE OF IMPROPER PROCEDURE.
Jun 23, 1991	KEENESBURG, CO	N1241U	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING THE APPROACH, AND DISREGARD OF WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE: A TAILWIND CONDITION AND THE PILOT'S ANXIETY.
Jun 11, 1991	KNIGHDALE, NC	N12498	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT ON THE RUNWAY AND/OR PERFORM A GO-AROUND.
Jun 03, 1991	CRESCENT CITY, CA	N12447	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EMPLOY PROPER FLIGHT CONTROL POSITIONING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING TAXI.
May 28, 1991	WILLITS, CA	N1407U	Incident	substantial	THAT THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE AND FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS ENTERING INTO AN INADVERT… THAT THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE AND FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS ENTERING INTO AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE.
May 28, 1991	CADILLAC, MI	N9591V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S MAINTAINING EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED THROUGH THE LANDING TOUCHDOWN WHICH RESULTED IN OVERRUNNING THE RUNWAY.
Apr 19, 1991	BLOOMVALE, NY	N12236	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.
Mar 31, 1991	OGDEN, UT	N6852H	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACHED FOR LANDING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, AND THE INADEQUACY OF THE PILOT'S RECOVERY FR… THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACHED FOR LANDING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, AND THE INADEQUACY OF THE PILOT'S RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Mar 18, 1991	LEROY, NY	N20360	Incident	substantial	THE HARD LANDING MADE BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY DESPITE THE RUNWAY LIGHTING… THE HARD LANDING MADE BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY DESPITE THE RUNWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM BEING PARTIALLY INOPERATIVE, AND THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE OF THE PILOT AT NIGHT.
Feb 10, 1991	EASTON, PA	N9796V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPERLY EXECUTED APPROACH, RESULTING IN A LANDING WITH EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED.
Feb 07, 1991	HELENA, MT	N13654	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE ON LANDING INAD… THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE ON LANDING INADEQUATE RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AND RECENT EXPERIENCE.
Feb 02, 1991	NASHUA, NH	N13341	Incident	substantial	FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION BY OTHER PERSONNEL WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE AND A SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

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 172M Safety Record

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