Cessna 172N Safety Record
Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1178 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.
| Date | Location | Reg# | Severity | Damage | Probable Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 1990 | MINDEN, NV | N1065F | Minor | destroyed | THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION. |
| Mar 19, 1990 | BUENA PARK, CA | N2985E | Fatal (1) | destroyed | THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING THE PRESCRIBED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH. |
| Mar 18, 1990 | JUNEAU, AK | N1220F | Serious (1) | destroyed |
THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AND DID NOT ADEQUATELY CORRECT THE SITUATION PRIOR TO COLLIDIN…THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AND DID NOT ADEQUATELY CORRECT THE SITUATION PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH AN OBJECT. |
| Mar 17, 1990 | BEDFORD, VA | N76026 | Fatal (2) | destroyed |
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDEN…THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RAIN. |
| Mar 17, 1990 | MONTEZUMA, GA | N734JE | Fatal (2) | destroyed | THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED DURING THE TAKEOFF. |
| Mar 15, 1990 | OCILLA, GA | N733BV | Minor | substantial | THE AIRCRAFT'S ENCOUNTER WITH LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENT. |
| Mar 10, 1990 | ARLINGTON, TX | N5193F | Incident | substantial |
INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO ASSURE AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY FOR THE PROPOSED FLIGHT WHICH LED TO THE ENSUING ENGI…INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO ASSURE AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY FOR THE PROPOSED FLIGHT WHICH LED TO THE ENSUING ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE'S ERRONEOUS QUANTITY READINGS AND THE SOFT/UNSUITABLE TERRAIN THAT LED TO A NOSE OVER DURING THE SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY LANDING. |
| Mar 10, 1990 | BASTROP, LA | N3530E | Minor | substantial |
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR A GO-AROUND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE…FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR A GO-AROUND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND TURBULENCE. |
| Mar 07, 1990 | CLEARWATER, FL | N73929 | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED T…THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE GUSTY CROSSWIND, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. |
| Jan 27, 1990 | GAITHERSBURG, MD | N75946 | Serious (1) | destroyed |
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND A SUBSEQUENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE A…INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND A SUBSEQUENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: GUSTY/CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND THE CFI'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT. |
| Dec 29, 1989 | MERIDIAN, MS | N733FK | Fatal (1) | destroyed |
IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWA…IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWARD INSTRUMENT FLYING AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME. |
| Dec 28, 1989 | BROOMFIELD, CO | N75702 | Incident | substantial | FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. THE SNOWBANK WAS A RELATED FACTOR. |
| Dec 26, 1989 | WASHINGTON TWP, NJ | N3353E | Fatal (3) | destroyed |
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO V…THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING. |
| Dec 21, 1989 | NORDLAND, WA | N2228E | Fatal (2) | destroyed | UNDETERMINED. |
| Dec 10, 1989 | MIDDLETON, WI | N75912 | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS TO PROVIDE LIFT ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH INSTEAD OF APPLYING POWER AND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. |
| Oct 24, 1989 | KNIGHTDALE, NC | N737QG | Serious (1) | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING WITH NO ELECTRICAL POWER. |
| Oct 17, 1989 | VALDOSTA, GA | N172SC | Incident | substantial |
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT (FAILURE TO SEE & AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TRANSMISSION (POWER) LINE AND LACK OF V…INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT (FAILURE TO SEE & AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TRANSMISSION (POWER) LINE AND LACK OF VISUAL CUES (PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION). |
| Oct 16, 1989 | EDDYVILLE, KY | N733WK | Fatal (2) | destroyed | THE PILOT CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: LOW CEILING AND RAIN. |
| Sep 21, 1989 | CHANDLER, AZ | N6277D | Incident | substantial | THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT'S OF BOTH AIRCRAFT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT. |
| Sep 21, 1989 | HYANNIS, NE | N733FY | Serious (2) | substantial | FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. DARKNESS AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS. |
| Sep 18, 1989 | AFTON, WY | N739XX | Fatal (2) | destroyed |
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO C…THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. |
| Sep 17, 1989 | WAXAHACHIE, TX | N738BB | Incident | substantial | FAILURE OF THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO EXPOSURE TO OVERTEMPERATURE OPERATING CONDITIONS. |
| Sep 14, 1989 | PROVO, UT | N75815 | Incident | substantial |
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) …THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION. |
| Sep 10, 1989 | KEY WEST, FL | N6552F | Incident | minor |
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE WACO PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND THE CESSNA 172 AND A SUBSEQUENT …INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE WACO PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND THE CESSNA 172 AND A SUBSEQUENT COLLISION. |
| Sep 09, 1989 | BAYPORT, NY | N734UG | Incident | substantial | THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING SPEED AND DISTANCE RESULTING IN HIS OVERSHOOTING THE LANDING AND RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. |