Plane Crash List

Cessna 172 accidents

The NTSB database holds 12,209 accidents and incidents involving the Cessna 172, recorded between 1964 to 2026. 1,728 of them were fatal (14%), and 3,521 people died.

The deadliest year was 1978, with 204 deaths.

The phase of flight recorded most often is landing (2,531 records).

Most of these records are from United States, Canada and Mexico.

517 of these records cannot be placed at all, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.

For 5,757 of them the NTSB recorded no coordinates, so their position on the map is approximate.

12,209
Records
1,728
Fatal
3,521
Deaths
14%
Share fatal
1964 to 2026
Period
Show these on the map 11,692 of 12,209 can be placed (5,757 approximate)

By decade

1960s 1,903
1970s 2,892
1980s 2,353
1990s 1,745
2000s 1,500
2010s 1,126
2020s 690

All 12,209 records by number of deaths, then by date

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Feb 1986 Cessna 172N
N738XX
Renton, Washington, United States Flight Tech Serious injuries -
3 Feb 1986 Cessna 172P
N52768
Lake Jackson, Texas, United States - Serious injuries -
1 Feb 1986 Cessna 172P
N52238
Alexander City, Alabama, United States William G.birchfield Minor injuries -
25 Jan 1986 Cessna 172
N46675
Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States - No injuries -
24 Jan 1986 Cessna 172
N98523
Tomball, Texas, United States
approximate position
Mort Hall Aviation No injuries -
23 Jan 1986 Cessna 172M
N20889
McAllen, Texas, United States Robert Harriss No injuries -
22 Jan 1986 Cessna 172N
N738DC
Corpus Christi, Texas, United States - Minor injuries -
21 Jan 1986 Cessna 172G
N3373B
Spring, Texas, United States - No injuries -
19 Jan 1986 Cessna 172
N6421E
Woodland, California, United States - No injuries -
16 Jan 1986 Cessna 172
N5456T
Durhamville, New York, United States - No injuries -
13 Jan 1986 Cessna 172P
N51238
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
approximate position
Ronald M. Whaley No injuries -
12 Jan 1986 Cessna 172
N8036B
Des Moines, Iowa, United States
approximate position
- No injuries -
11 Jan 1986 Cessna 172N
N733ZF
San Jose, California, United States BEE GEE Aero Minor injuries -
6 Jan 1986 Cessna 172M
N8521X
Anderson, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
5 Jan 1986 Cessna 172F
N8267U
Saratoga, Texas, United States - No injuries -
2 Jan 1986 Cessna 172N
N733NF
Kansas City, Missouri, United States Lawrence Flying Club Inc. No injuries -
29 Dec 1985 Cessna 172P
N96321
Broomfield, Colorado, United States - Minor injuries -
28 Dec 1985 Cessna 172RG
N4849V
Las Vegas, New Mexico, United States - No injuries -
26 Dec 1985 Cessna 172
N7300A
Kings Mountain, North Carolina, United States Myron P. Lipe Minor injuries -
22 Dec 1985 Cessna 172A
N7451T
Anthony, New Mexico, United States - No injuries -
22 Dec 1985 Cessna 172
N64005
Brigham City, Utah, United States - Serious injuries -
20 Dec 1985 Cessna 172N
N7609F
Longmont, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
16 Dec 1985 Cessna 172N
N739KU
Logan, Utah, United States - No injuries -
9 Dec 1985 Cessna 172P
N64069
Missoula, Montana, United States - No injuries -
4 Dec 1985 Cessna 172
N3530S
East Moriches, New York, United States - No injuries -
3 Dec 1985 Cessna 172RG
N5281U
Mt. Lafayette, New Hampshire, United States
not on the map
ACE Aviation, Inc. Minor injuries -
3 Dec 1985 Cessna 172RG
N6208V
East Liverpool, Ohio, United States Charleston AFB Aero Club No injuries -
28 Nov 1985 Cessna 172K
N7506G
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, United States - Minor injuries -
23 Nov 1985 Cessna 172A
N7130Q
Sunizona, Arizona, United States Davis-Monthan Aero Club Minor injuries -
17 Nov 1985 Cessna 172L
N9896G
Coldwater, Ohio, United States - Minor injuries -
8 Nov 1985 Cessna 172F
N8852U
Hazelhurst, Mississippi, United States - No injuries -
8 Nov 1985 Cessna 172N
N733SG
Westbrook, Texas, United States Louis Rosenbaum No injuries -
8 Nov 1985 Cessna 172P
N52995
Monroe, Louisiana, United States Cathron Aviation No injuries -
3 Nov 1985 Cessna 172I
N35469
Millington, Tennessee, United States Teddy Friend Minor injuries -
3 Nov 1985 Cessna 172 M
N73171
Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States - No injuries -
3 Nov 1985 Cessna 172N
N733KU
Greer, South Carolina, United States - No injuries -
29 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N8316B
North Bend, Oregon, United States - Serious injuries -
27 Oct 1985 Cessna 172F
N5219F
Fort Walton Bch, Florida, United States Robert E. Blake Minor injuries -
27 Oct 1985 Cessna 172P
N98954
Fullerton, California, United States
approximate position
General Aviation Co., Inc. Minor injuries -
25 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N6069E
Kremlin, Oklahoma, United States John Hicks No injuries -
25 Oct 1985 Cessna 172N
N5486D
Great Valley, New York, United States - No injuries -
19 Oct 1985 Cessna 172 M
N9892Q
Houston, Texas, United States
approximate position
William H. Harris Minor injuries -
13 Oct 1985 Cessna 172M
N64142
Vacaville, California, United States Western Aero Minor injuries -
12 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N5790J
Lebanon, Oregon, United States - No injuries -
7 Oct 1985 Cessna 172N
N1587E
Salina, Kansas, United States - No injuries -
6 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N7602D
St.petersburg, Florida, United States - No injuries -
6 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N7798X
Medford, Oregon, United States - Minor injuries -
5 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N4016F
Guilford, Missouri, United States - Minor injuries -
5 Oct 1985 Cessna 172
N2867Q
Emmett, Idaho, United States Michael Kearney Minor injuries -
4 Oct 1985 Cessna 172N
N4691G
Annapolis, Maryland, United States - No injuries -