Cessna 172M Safety Record

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

810

All Events

472

Incidents

136

Minor

72

Serious

128

Fatal (233 fatalities)

Date Location Reg# Severity Damage Probable Cause
Mar 17, 1989 GALVESTON, TX N5280R Serious (1) destroyed
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIO…

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, WHICH WERE BELOW MINIMUMS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM A MISSED APPROACH.

Mar 17, 1989 PASCAGOULA, MS N80542 Fatal (2) destroyed
CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, WEATHER CONDI…

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, WEATHER CONDITIONS, PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME, LACK OF VISUAL CUES AT NIGHT, AND TREES AT THE CRASH SITE.

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.
Jan 06, 1989 OXNARD, CA N61587 Fatal (1) destroyed
CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLSION WITH TERRAIN. RELATED FACTORS WERE…

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLSION WITH TERRAIN. RELATED FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING SERVICE, HIS DECISION TO INITIATE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION AT DUSK, AND THE RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Dec 31, 1988 ERIE, CO N80650 Incident substantial Investigation pending
Dec 02, 1988 GRIFFIN, GA N92388 Minor substantial Investigation pending
Oct 30, 1988 HILTON HEAD IS., SC N1275U Incident substantial Investigation pending
Oct 02, 1988 AUBERRY, CA N20680 Serious (1) destroyed 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.

Sep 10, 1988 BATTLE MOUNTAIN, NV N8895V Serious (4) destroyed Investigation pending
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 10, 1988 HOLLAND, MI N80943 Fatal (1) destroyed
PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING AND LANDING FLARE PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND AVOID A SI…

PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING AND LANDING FLARE PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND AVOID A SITUATION FROM WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE-DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE AMOUNT OF POWER AVAILABLE FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE PRESENCE OF OBSTACLES IN THE FLIGHT PATH- TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND RATE OF CLIMB, RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL/MUSH AND DESCENT INTO A WOODED RESIDENTIAL AREA.

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 30, 1988 LESTER STATE, WA N20580 Minor destroyed Investigation pending
May 27, 1988 PLAINWELL, MI N20389 Incident substantial Investigation pending
May 27, 1988 LAIRDSVILLE, PA N5164H Minor 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.
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