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
4 Feb 1974	Cessna 172K N84073	Dixon, Illinois, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
25 Jan 1974	Cessna 172L N7888G	Goldendale, Washington, United States approximate position	Inland Aviatio	Fatal	2
17 Jan 1974	Cessna 172M N20331	San Ramon, California, United States approximate position	Sierra Academe	Fatal	2
17 Jan 1974	Cessna 172L N3898Q	San Ramon, California, United States approximate position	Sierra Academe	Fatal	2
8 Nov 1973	Cessna 172F N1FH	Kingman, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
4 Nov 1973	Cessna 172K N79049	Cherokee, Texas, United States approximate position	Spinks Industr	Fatal	2
30 Aug 1973	Cessna 172 N3843Q	Packwood, Washington, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
31 Jul 1973	Cessna 172L N7863G	Seneca, Illinois, United States approximate position	Mt Hawley Avia	Fatal	2
30 Jul 1973	Cessna 172E N3552S	Lake Park, Minnesota, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
7 May 1973	Cessna 172L N7847G	Slaughter, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Aviation Marin	Fatal	2
9 Mar 1973	Cessna 172F N5310R	McClellanville, South Carolina, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
20 Feb 1973	Cessna 172 N7546T	Salt Flat, Texas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
14 Feb 1973	Cessna 172K N84051	Perry, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
19 Dec 1972	Cessna 172 N46155	Concordia, Kansas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
12 Aug 1972	Cessna 172D N2328U	Farwell, Texas, United States approximate position	High Plains AI	Fatal	2
20 Jul 1972	Cessna 172H N1644F	Cedar Key, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
2 Jul 1972	Cessna 172A N7551T	Indian Wlls, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
30 Jun 1972	Cessna 172 N3683L	La Mesa, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
28 Jun 1972	Cessna 172D N2580U	Victor, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
20 May 1972	Cessna 172I CF-XBH	Skagway, Alaska, United States approximate position	Globe Air Serv	Fatal	2
15 May 1972	Cessna 172 N6708A	Mayo, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
26 Mar 1972	Cessna 172H N2619L	Silverado, California, United States approximate position	Rose Aviation	Fatal	2
8 Mar 1972	Cessna 172F N8150U	Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States approximate position	Palo Alto Flyi	Fatal	2
29 Feb 1972	Cessna 172F N8744U	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	South Bay Airp	Fatal	2
9 Jan 1972	Cessna 172D N2551Y	Perryville, Maryland, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
8 Oct 1971	Cessna 172 N46249	New Braunfels, Texas, United States approximate position	ED Boardman FL	Fatal	2
22 Sep 1971	Cessna 172F N5510R	Boerne, Texas, United States approximate position	Earnhardt Avia	Fatal	2
18 Sep 1971	Cessna 172F N5552R	Capitan, New Mexico, United States approximate position	United Coopera	Fatal	2
14 Sep 1971	Cessna 172L N7920G	Lake City, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
6 Sep 1971	Cessna 172K N79205	Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
14 Aug 1971	Cessna 172K N84596	Bardstown, Kentucky, United States approximate position	Bohner Flying	Fatal	2
31 Jul 1971	Cessna 172E N5465T	Ft.lauderdale, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
25 Jul 1971	Cessna 172K N84446	Esmond, Rhode Island, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
12 Jul 1971	Cessna 172 N5978R	Sasakwa, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	B and F Rovers	Fatal	2
12 May 1971	Cessna 172A CC-PBS	Bethel, Pennsylvania, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
17 Apr 1971	Cessna 172 N3665L	Sacramento, California, United States approximate position	McClellan AFB	Fatal	2
6 Jan 1971	Cessna 172K N84438	Lake City, Florida, United States approximate position	Burnside-Ott A	Fatal	2
6 Jan 1971	Cessna 172K N79116	High Springs, Florida, United States approximate position	Gregory Constr	Fatal	2
3 Jan 1971	Cessna 172 N8342L	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	Burgess Aviati	Fatal	2
13 Sep 1970	Cessna 172I N46223	Vichy, Missouri, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
21 Jun 1970	Cessna 172K N79402	New Braunfels, Texas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
15 Mar 1970	Cessna 172A N7796T	N.branford, Connecticut, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
11 Mar 1970	Cessna 172 N84350	Angwin, California, United States approximate position	Frakes Aviatio	Fatal	2
23 Jan 1970	Cessna 172 N8949B	Dahlonega, Georgia, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
2 Jan 1970	Cessna 172 N7104A	Rollinsville, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
3 Dec 1969	Cessna 172K N78585	Ulysses, Kansas, United States approximate position	Reed Air Inc	Fatal	2
26 Nov 1969	Cessna 172 N7271T	Saginaw, Texas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
7 Nov 1969	Cessna 172G N5765R	Accident, Maryland, United States approximate position	Icarus Inc	Fatal	2
13 Oct 1969	Cessna 172C N8388X	Washington, Missouri, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	2
5 Oct 1969	Cessna 172H N3837R	Philadelphia, Mississippi, United States approximate position	Central Constr	Fatal	2