How many accidents has the Cessna 172N had?

The NTSB has recorded 1178 events involving the Cessna 172N: 197 fatal, 90 serious, 180 minor injuries, and 709 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 172N a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 172N has 1178 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 172N Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1178 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

1178

All Events

709

Incidents

180

Minor

Serious

197

Fatal (403 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Dec 10, 2022	Socorro, NM	N422B	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard bounced landing and loss of control in gusting wind.
Jul 30, 2022	Longmont, CO	N6587E	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor’s failure to properly supervise the student pilot, which resulted in a continued unstablized approach for landing, and the instr… The flight instructor’s failure to properly supervise the student pilot, which resulted in a continued unstablized approach for landing, and the instructor’s delayed recovery that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
Jun 18, 2022	Jacksonville, IL	N6797E	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to attain proper flare during landing, resulting in a bounced landing.
May 19, 2022	Auburn, IN	N2128E	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s improper landing flare and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial response which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
May 01, 2022	Toms River, NJ	N737LY	Incident	substantial	Loss of engine power due to the throttle linkage becoming disconnected in flight due to improper maintenance.
Apr 19, 2022	Englewood, CO	N711DA	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot and the student pilot’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted… The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot and the student pilot’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Apr 06, 2022	Tuscon, AZ	N733EJ	Incident	substantial	The loss of directional control during the landing roll, due to missing hardware which resulted in the separation of the nose landing gear torque link… The loss of directional control during the landing roll, due to missing hardware which resulted in the separation of the nose landing gear torque links.
Mar 20, 2022	Talkeetna, AK	N6332D	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s improper positioning of the fuel selector during takeoff, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Nov 14, 2021	Worms, GE	N884CA	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Oct 17, 2021	Laurier, WA	N832DC	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to prevent the airplane from landing long which, resulted in a runway overrun and collision with terra… The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to prevent the airplane from landing long which, resulted in a runway overrun and collision with terrain.
Sep 19, 2021	Grass Valley, CA	N4977G	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point on the runway while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway overrun. Con… The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point on the runway while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to an electrical issue.
Aug 23, 2021	Hayward, CA	N737GL	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced hard landing.
May 05, 2021	Lewiston, ID	N733BT	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during taxiing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a taxiway excursion and collision with a… The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during taxiing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a taxiway excursion and collision with a fence.
Feb 12, 2021	Prairie du Sac, WI	N3477E	Incident	substantial	The student pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in the collision with a snowbank. Contributing to the accident was the … The student pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in the collision with a snowbank. Contributing to the accident was the compacted snow conditions on the runway surface.
Oct 13, 2020	Williston, FL	N6158G	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Nov 22, 2017	Maple Lake, MN	N734VH	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Nov 20, 2017	San Diego, CA	N172SX	Incident	substantial	An in-flight collision with a bird.
Feb 18, 2017	Statesville, NC	N738DS	Incident	substantial	A loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Dec 03, 2015	Boca Raton, FL	N5185D	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing touchdown resulting in a runway excursion, a collision with an object, and an i… The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing touchdown resulting in a runway excursion, a collision with an object, and an impact with terrain.
Oct 11, 2015	Miami Beach, FL	N733VB	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered from the ocean after the ditching.
Sep 16, 2015	Herington, KS	N909HC	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll, which resulted in a porpoise.
Aug 19, 2015	Kalispell, MT	N733NH	Incident	substantial	The pilot's loss of directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion, and collision with runway and taxiway lights and terrain.
Aug 03, 2015	Miami, FL	N6223D	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control resulting in a hard landing and damage to the airplane firewall.
Jul 03, 2015	Lubbock, TX	N6326J	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper flare during landing which resulted in abnormal runway contact and damage to the firewall.
Jun 26, 2015	Vernal, UT	N3159E	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with an… The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with an airport sign.

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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Cessna 172N Safety Record

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