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
Feb 05, 2026	Nampa, ID	N4464R	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Dec 13, 2025	Palmer, AK	N20305	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Aug 19, 2025	Albany, OR	N20490	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Dec 13, 2024	Gig Harbor, WA	N6750H	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go.
Sep 20, 2024	Ackerman, MS	N73154	Incident	substantial	The excessive airplane speed during a no-flap landing, and the pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun.… The excessive airplane speed during a no-flap landing, and the pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the interference of the instrument panel wiring with the flight control system.
May 08, 2024	Midland, TX	N69PW	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around in a gusting crosswind, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with … The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around in a gusting crosswind, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of system knowledge regarding the operation of the flaps.
Apr 15, 2024	Shelbyville, TN	N73605	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent runway excursion.
Dec 19, 2023	Red Lake, MN	N46056	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s inadequate landing surface evaluation and failure to stop the airplane on the frozen lake, which resulted the airplane continuing into a c… The pilot’s inadequate landing surface evaluation and failure to stop the airplane on the frozen lake, which resulted the airplane continuing into a crack in the ice.
Dec 08, 2023	Miami, FL	N955PT	Incident	substantial	The business jet flight crew’s failure to appropriately position their airplane to mitigate the impact of their extended duration, high-power engine r… The business jet flight crew’s failure to appropriately position their airplane to mitigate the impact of their extended duration, high-power engine run, and their failure to adequately communicate these factors to air traffic control, which resulted in the accident airplane encountering their jet blast while taxiing.
Aug 10, 2023	Marysville, CA	N20268	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor’s failure to monitor the airplane’s speed during a high-speed taxi, resulting in a runway excursion.
Apr 11, 2023	Terrell, TX	N1221U	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial response.
Apr 01, 2023	Santa Ana, CA	N1399U	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from a commercial airliner which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence and subsequent lo… The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from a commercial airliner which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence and subsequent loss of control resulting in impact with terrain.
Mar 07, 2023	Miami, FL	N64535	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power due to a lack of oil lubrication.
Jan 21, 2023	Skull Valley, AZ	N92570	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing in a crosswind.
Nov 18, 2022	Las Vegas, NV	N88E	Incident	minor	The student helicopter pilot’s failure to follow the tower controller’s landing instructions, which resulted in a midair collision.
Oct 08, 2022	Burlington, WA	N73614	Incident	substantial	The pilots improper landing flare and remedial action which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Sep 28, 2022	Monticello, IA	N5244R	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach airspeed and glidepath which resulted in a long landing and his inability to stop the airplane on av… The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach airspeed and glidepath which resulted in a long landing and his inability to stop the airplane on available runway and the subsequent runway excursion.
Sep 26, 2022	Superior, MT	N12113	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s excessive airspeed during a landing, which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with terrain.
Jul 19, 2022	Saint Joseph, IL	N9688Q	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to remain clear of obstacles while landing.
Jul 08, 2022	Friend, NE	N5177H	Incident	substantial	A loss of engine power due to a stuck valve.
May 30, 2022	East Sound, WA	N20487	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point which, resulted in a runway overrun and collision with trees.
May 14, 2022	Lancaster, NY	N20459	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s excessive pitch during takeoff resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing was the student’s failure to re… The student pilot’s excessive pitch during takeoff resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing was the student’s failure to relinquish the controls when ordered by the instructor.
Apr 08, 2022	Tomball, TX	N1141U	Incident	substantial	The pilot did not maintain directional control during landing, which led to a runway excursion and nose-over of the airplane.
Jan 30, 2022	Louisville, KY	N20312	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in cross wind conditions.
Apr 24, 2021	Fredericksburg, VA	N80874	Incident	substantial	The student pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he applied brakes and the airplane veered right. He was unable to correct back to the center… The student pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he applied brakes and the airplane veered right. He was unable to correct back to the centerline or brake effectively; the airplane exited the runway and struck an embankment before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the right brake torque plate. The right brake became stuck when actuated and sometimes required prying to release. After the torque plate was replaced, the brake functioned without any anomalies.

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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