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
12 Jul 1974	Cessna 172H N2604L	Fort Madison, Iowa, United States approximate position	Y Flyers	Fatal	1
9 May 1974	Cessna 172 N7299A	Jasper, Arkansas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
27 Apr 1974	Cessna 172 N7083T	Santa Rosa, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
30 Mar 1974	Cessna 172M N12421	Martinsville, Virginia, United States approximate position	EDS Flying SER	Fatal	1
17 Mar 1974	Cessna 172H N374SR	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
14 Mar 1974	Cessna 172A N7284T	Silver City, New Mexico, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
17 Feb 1974	Cessna 172A N6839X	Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
7 Feb 1974	Cessna 172 N52170	Woodbury, Tennessee, United States approximate position	Gallatin Flyin	Fatal	1
7 Feb 1974	Cessna 172M N3527Q	Otis, Maine, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Nov 1973	Cessna 172L N7651G	Sylmar, California, United States approximate position	Aviation Compl	Fatal	1
22 Oct 1973	Cessna 172G N2AL	Bass Lake, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
13 Oct 1973	Cessna 172 N7108T	Lewisburg, Tennessee, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
22 Sep 1973	Cessna 172K N78638	Becket, Massachusetts, United States approximate position	C and R Connec	Fatal	1
13 Sep 1973	Cessna 172H N2665L	Wheeling, Illinois, United States approximate position	Shara Flying C	Fatal	1
17 Aug 1973	Cessna 172 N3767L	Swan Quarter, North Carolina, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
13 Aug 1973	Cessna 172K N7060G	Huntingdon Vly, Pennsylvania, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
11 Aug 1973	Cessna 172L N7725G	Preston, Idaho, United States approximate position	Valley Airmoti	Fatal	1
1 Aug 1973	Cessna 172 N6853A	Loretto, Kentucky, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
17 Jun 1973	Cessna 172L N9842G	Newberry, Florida, United States approximate position	Fort Pierce FL	Fatal	1
26 May 1973	Cessna 172L N7656G	Crivitz, Wisconsin, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
10 Apr 1973	Cessna 172H N8232L	Campbell, Texas, United States approximate position	Airway Aviatio	Fatal	1
28 Mar 1973	Cessna 172 N7050T	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	-	Fatal	1
22 Feb 1973	Cessna 172K N7012G	Startzville, Texas, United States approximate position	SPR City FLG	Fatal	1
21 Feb 1973	Cessna 172 N7896G	Haines Falls, New York, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
18 Jan 1973	Cessna 172K N7047G	Wichita, Kansas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
20 Dec 1972	Cessna 172F N8589U	Cleveland, Texas, United States approximate position	Montgomery COU	Fatal	1
18 Dec 1972	Cessna 172K N84887	Dickinson, North Dakota, United States approximate position	Dickinson Air	Fatal	1
12 Dec 1972	Cessna 172K N46717	Bennington, Vermont, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
12 Dec 1972	Cessna 172 N8015B	Biloxi, Mississippi, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
29 Nov 1972	Cessna 172 N7344T	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	-	Fatal	1
16 Oct 1972	Cessna 172L N4257L	Lamacaza, Canada not on the map	Skyhook Lodge	Fatal	1
5 Oct 1972	Cessna 172L N9890G	Deerfield Bch, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
3 Oct 1972	Cessna 172K N7369G	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported not on the map	Diamond Aviati	Fatal	1
3 Oct 1972	Cessna 172F N8342U	Salome, Arizona, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Sep 1972	Cessna 172L N2897Q	Thayer, Missouri, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
24 Aug 1972	Cessna 172 N5745A	Martinsville, Indiana, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
21 Aug 1972	Cessna 172G N6093R	Northfield, Ohio, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
18 Jul 1972	Cessna 172 0067	Savannakhet, Asia not on the map	Rlaf	Fatal	1
6 Jul 1972	Cessna 172 N3965L	Tunica, Mississippi, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
4 Jul 1972	Cessna 172 N7434G	Cherokee, North Carolina, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
24 Jun 1972	Cessna 172B N7516X	Santee, South Carolina, United States approximate position	Orangeburg Air	Fatal	1
17 Jun 1972	Cessna 172F N5494R	So.webster, Ohio, United States not on the map	-	Fatal	1
11 May 1972	Cessna 172K N78235	Portales, New Mexico, United States approximate position	Portales Valle	Fatal	1
10 May 1972	Cessna 172E N3862S	Modesto, California, United States approximate position	Gottschalk FLI	Fatal	1
23 Apr 1972	Cessna 172H N3732F	Orinda, California, United States approximate position	Meridith Flyin	Fatal	1
8 Apr 1972	Cessna 172 N5936A	Lowell, Michigan, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
17 Mar 1972	Cessna 172 N2586Y	Crewe, Virginia, United States approximate position	Falwell Aviati	Fatal	1
21 Feb 1972	Cessna 172 N79018	Eagle Pass, Texas, United States approximate position	Winter Garden	Fatal	1
13 Feb 1972	Cessna 172 N1360Y	Strawberry, California, United States approximate position	F and N Aviati	Fatal	1
4 Feb 1972	Cessna 172K N46377	Sugar Land, Texas, United States approximate position	Southwest Flyi	Fatal	1