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
Sep 05, 2007 Pontiac, MI N73455 Incident substantial The pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare and her improper recovery from the bounced landing.
Sep 02, 2007 Union Star, MO N1502V Fatal (1) destroyed
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the subsequent inadvertent stall while buzzing residences. Contributing to the accident…

The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the subsequent inadvertent stall while buzzing residences. Contributing to the accident was the pilot performing buzzing maneuvers.

Aug 11, 2007 Marine City, MI N13586 Incident substantial A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors contributing to the accident were the insufficient runway remaining and the soft terrain.
Jul 16, 2007 Throckmorton, TX N13441 Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power transmission lines. A contributing factor was the prevailing dusk illumination.
Jun 24, 2007 Rio Creek, WI N4422R Serious (2) substantial The pilot's improper aircraft weight and balance, and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall during takeoff-initial climb.
May 12, 2007 St. George, UT N5285H Incident substantial the pilot's inadequate compensation for a gusting crosswind and his failure to maintain directional control.
Apr 29, 2007 Astoria, OR N1911V Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to adequately correct for changing wind conditions, leading to a loss of directional control during the takeoff ground rol…

The student pilot's failure to adequately correct for changing wind conditions, leading to a loss of directional control during the takeoff ground roll. Factors include wet, soft terrain along the side of the runway.

Apr 12, 2007 Stockton, CA N9685Q Minor substantial
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel while en rou…

The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel while en route.

Dec 27, 2006 Houston, TX N172BP Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing wind conditions during the landing roll resulting in a loss of control. A contributing factor was …

The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing wind conditions during the landing roll resulting in a loss of control. A contributing factor was the crosswind.

Oct 31, 2006 Wakefield, VA N20931 Incident substantial The student pilot's failure to maintain control during the landing. A factor to the accident was the wind gusts.
Oct 25, 2006 Escalante, UT N9179D Fatal (1) destroyed
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of experience of flying on instruments on a dark night a…

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of experience of flying on instruments on a dark night and in rainy weather.

Sep 13, 2006 Moab, UT N29MX Incident substantial The pilot's failure to obtain current NOTAMS which resulted in an on-ground collision with a construction berm while landing.
Aug 04, 2006 Gasquet, CA N5262R Serious (1) substantial
the pilot's selection of a runway favoring tailwind conditions, his delayed decision to go around, and his failure to attain and maintain an adequate …

the pilot's selection of a runway favoring tailwind conditions, his delayed decision to go around, and his failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed during the aborted landing. Contributing factors were the tailwind and wind shear conditions encountered on final approach.

Aug 03, 2006 Augusta, GA N20965 Incident substantial The pilot's improper flare on landing with excessive altitude resulting in a hard landing.
Aug 03, 2006 San Andreas, CA N12626 Incident substantial
the student pilot's improper soft-field takeoff technique and failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush. Th…

the student pilot's improper soft-field takeoff technique and failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush. The certificated flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the maneuver was also causal.

Jul 12, 2006 Cahokia, IL N1725V Incident substantial The pilot's inadequate flare. A factor was the night light conditions.
May 20, 2006 Hamilton, MT N12808 Incident substantial
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the landing roll which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control. Fac…

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the landing roll which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control. Factors included variable winds and gusty crosswinds.

Apr 07, 2006 Vero Beach, FL N64425 Incident substantial
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while executing a go-around in gusty conditions which resulted in the airplane veering off the run…

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while executing a go-around in gusty conditions which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway, colliding with a ditch and nosing over.

Mar 30, 2006 Newnan, GA N9880V Incident substantial
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll out, resulting in the airplane veering off the right side of the runwa…

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll out, resulting in the airplane veering off the right side of the runway and colliding with an airport runway sign.

Feb 17, 2006 Prescott, AZ N13514 Incident substantial the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control.
Feb 14, 2006 Murrieta, CA N80859 Incident substantial a partial loss of engine power resulting from the student pilot's mismanagement of the mixture control.
Jan 18, 2006 Denver, CO N1322U Incident substantial
the pilot's failure to align the airplane's nose into the direction of the wind while performing the pre-takeoff checklist. A contributing factor was…

the pilot's failure to align the airplane's nose into the direction of the wind while performing the pre-takeoff checklist. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.

Nov 07, 2005 Essequibo Coast, GY 8R-GVL Incident minor Investigation pending
Nov 03, 2005 Timehri, GY 8R-GGW Incident minor Investigation pending
Oct 09, 2005 Lake Elmo, MN N13585 Minor substantial
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an overload failure of the nose landing gear. Contributing to the accident …

The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an overload failure of the nose landing gear. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of inadequate preflight planning by the pilot.

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