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

Where these happened

United States 11,825 Canada 28 Mexico 26 Unknown/Not Reported 18 Australia 16 Spain 13

Operators involved

American Flyers 20 Civil Air Patrol, Inc. 18 Embry-Riddle A 16 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 13 Civil Air Patr 12 General Aviati 10

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

Date	Aircraft	Location	Operator	Outcome	Died
20 Aug 1978	Cessna 172N N733SD	Blaine, Minnesota, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
15 Aug 1978	Cessna 172XP N736XU	Eugene, Oregon, United States approximate position	So.ore.aviatio	Fatal	2
7 Apr 1978	Cessna 172 N6886A	Miles City, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
19 Mar 1978	Cessna 172 N6892A	Leawood, Kansas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
17 Mar 1978	Cessna 172E N5615T	Leitchfield, Kentucky, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
9 Mar 1978	Cessna 172 N7592X	Memphis, Missouri, United States approximate position	Brand X Flying	Fatal	2
7 Mar 1978	Cessna 172M N13304	Griffing, Georgia, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
24 Dec 1977	Cessna 172 N4183L	Blairsville, Georgia, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
4 Dec 1977	Cessna 172H N75923	Dickson, Tennessee, United States approximate position	TRI State Aero	Fatal	2
1 Dec 1977	Cessna 172H N8821Z	Cades Cove, Tennessee, United States not on the map	Three A Flying	Fatal	2
29 Sep 1977	Cessna 172N N733FZ	Pahala, Hawaii, United States approximate position	Kona FLT Servi	Fatal	2
29 Sep 1977	Cessna 172M N5253Q	Bakersfield, California, United States approximate position	C and B Fly SE	Fatal	2
7 Aug 1977	Cessna 172M N1204U	Big Bear City, California, United States approximate position	Mt Air Service	Fatal	2
5 Aug 1977	Cessna 172M N1786V	Carmel Valley, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
18 Jun 1977	Cessna 172 N7129A	Midtown Commun, Tennessee, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
18 Jun 1977	Cessna 172 N5172F	Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States approximate position	Civil Air Patr	Fatal	2
13 Jun 1977	Cessna 172K N79005	Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States approximate position	Four Star Avia	Fatal	2
8 Jun 1977	Cessna 172 N73382	Azalea, Oregon, United States approximate position	Aurora Aviatio	Fatal	2
1 May 1977	Cessna 172N N733VP	Newberg, Oregon, United States approximate position	Flyways Inc.	Fatal	2
27 Mar 1977	Cessna 172M N1136U	Iron River, Michigan, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
24 Jan 1977	Cessna 172 N4171F	Moab, Utah, United States approximate position	Moab Flyg Club	Fatal	2
28 Dec 1976	Cessna 172N N73840	Chiefland, Florida, United States approximate position	Beacon Aviatio	Fatal	2
9 Nov 1976	Cessna 172 N5789A	Pendleton, Oregon, United States approximate position	Valley Flying	Fatal	2
4 Nov 1976	Cessna 172 N20140	Terminal Islnd, California, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
28 Oct 1976	Cessna 172 N5591R	Flagstaff, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
24 May 1976	Cessna 172M N9941Q	Lavonia, Georgia, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
21 May 1976	Cessna 172K N7148G	Weiser, Idaho, United States approximate position	Ontario Flight	Fatal	2
10 Apr 1976	Cessna 172A N7705T	Planada, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
31 Mar 1976	Cessna 172M N1631V	San Onofre, California, United States approximate position	Sky Haven, Inc.	Fatal	2
28 Oct 1975	Cessna 172M N20945	Marco Island, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
26 Oct 1975	Cessna 172F N8435U	Salem, Michigan, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
21 Oct 1975	Cessna 172 N5963A	Rialto, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
20 Sep 1975	Cessna 172K N7272G	Parkersburg, West Virginia, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
12 Jul 1975	Cessna 172M N9832V	Stevenson, Washington, United States approximate position	Western Skyway	Fatal	2
4 Jul 1975	Cessna 172M N9960V	Portageville, Missouri, United States approximate position	Bootheel Flyin	Fatal	2
18 May 1975	Cessna 172 N13224	Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States approximate position	Towry Enterpri	Fatal	2
5 May 1975	Cessna 172L N7590G	Linden, Michigan, United States approximate position	Pontiac Flight	Fatal	2
17 Feb 1975	Cessna 172H N2497L	Olive Branch, Mississippi, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
31 Jan 1975	Cessna 172H N8043L	Bakersfield, California, United States approximate position	Pembrton Flyng	Fatal	2
30 Dec 1974	Cessna 172L N7840G	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	-	Fatal	2
30 Dec 1974	Cessna 172L N7840G	3 Rivers, California, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
14 Dec 1974	Cessna 172M N13344	Freestone, Texas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
26 Oct 1974	Cessna 172F N8275U	Lebec, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
22 Oct 1974	Cessna 172M N20673	Fort Apache, Arizona, United States approximate position	Deming Fly SER	Fatal	2
20 Sep 1974	Cessna 172H N3258L	Bluebell, Pennsylvania, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
23 Aug 1974	Cessna 172 N8191L	Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, United States approximate position	Slatington Fly	Fatal	2
18 Jul 1974	Cessna 172H N1669F	Snoqualme Ps, Washington, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	2
12 Apr 1974	Cessna 172M N92562	Palmer Lake, Colorado, United States approximate position	Militair, Inc.	Fatal	2
28 Mar 1974	Cessna 172I N46041	Hollister, California, United States approximate position	Sub Sonic Flyi	Fatal	2
2 Mar 1974	Cessna 172 N35526	Swansea, Massachusetts, United States approximate position	Dole Aviation	Fatal	2