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
Apr 09, 1989	WEST PALM BEACH, FL	N80440	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE ADEQUATE WINGTIP CLEARANCE WHILE TAXIING.
Apr 02, 1989	COLUMBIA, MS	N80436	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE G… THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE GUSTY/CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Mar 27, 1989	WEST BEND, WI	N9578V	Incident	substantial	PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CABLE. UNSUITABLE (SOFT) TERRAIN AND TRANSMISSION WIRES IN THE LANDING AREA WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.
Mar 11, 1989	SANFORD, NC	N13188	Incident	substantial	CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL DURING DESCENT AND FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS AT REDUCE… CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL DURING DESCENT AND FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS AT REDUCED POWER. UNDERLYING THIS IS INADEQUATE TRAINING IN THE PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF CARBURETOR ICING AND THE PROPER METHODOLOGY OF DEALING WITH THIS PHENOMENON.
Feb 18, 1989	QUINCY, IL	N6894H	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACHIEVE A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING THE LANDING.
Feb 13, 1989	SACRAMENTO, CA	N73309	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR LANDING AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND AFTER LANDING LONG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LIGHT CON… THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR LANDING AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND AFTER LANDING LONG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AS DUSK AND A TAILWIND.
Feb 11, 1989	SAN JUAN, PR	N303CR	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
Dec 31, 1988	ERIE, CO	N80650	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Oct 30, 1988	HILTON HEAD IS., SC	N1275U	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Sep 28, 1988	KEYSVILLE, VA	N85012	Incident	substantial	AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AFTER THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE TO TAKEOFF SPEED. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE IS INAD… AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AFTER THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE TO TAKEOFF SPEED. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE IS INADEQUATE PRELIGHT PLANNING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS UPSLOPING HIGH GRASS COVERED TERRAIN AND FAILURE TO USE FLAPS.
Aug 21, 1988	KELLEY'S ISLAND, OH	N62920	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 25, 1988	GILLETTE, WY	N5266J	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 23, 1988	PLYMOUTH, FL	N12840	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 04, 1988	BRECKENRIDGE, MI	N20058	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jul 01, 1988	SPRING CREEK, NC	N1534V	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jun 26, 1988	MERIDIANVILLE, AL	N5075R	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 27, 1988	PLAINWELL, MI	N20389	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
May 06, 1988	HOOD RIVER, OR	N12659	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 29, 1988	FAYETTEVILLE, WV	N13261	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT LANDED LONG AND WITH EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN OF THE RUNWAY. INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Apr 25, 1988	ALEXANDRIA, IN	N80269	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 06, 1988	CHAMPAIGN, IL	N64508	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 29, 1987	BANNING, CA	N12943	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 27, 1987	TACOMA, WA	N9134H	Incident	minor	Investigation pending
Sep 07, 1987	W. MIFFLIN, PA	N80376	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 24, 1987	MARIETTA, GA	N64191	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 172M Safety Record

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