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
21 Nov 1968	Cessna 172E N5740T	Susanville, California, United States approximate position	Clark Construt	Fatal	1
29 Sep 1968	Cessna 172 N6280E	Altadena, California, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Sep 1968	Cessna 172E N5777T	Congo Twn, Other-Foreign Countries not on the map	-	Fatal	1
20 Aug 1968	Cessna 172E N3024U	Kamas, Utah, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
5 Jul 1968	Cessna 172H N2412L	Clearwater, Minnesota, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
8 Jun 1968	Cessna 172 N3909F	Benton, Tennessee, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
2 Jun 1968	Cessna 172 N7372T	Berlin, New Jersey, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
30 May 1968	Cessna 172 N9123B	Purcell, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
15 May 1968	Cessna 172I CF-XDQ	Malad City, Idaho, United States approximate position	Floair, Incorpo	Fatal	1
24 Apr 1968	Cessna 172 N3811R	Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
11 Mar 1968	Cessna 172G N3898L	Troutdale, Oregon, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Mar 1968	Cessna 172 N8063L	Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	Miami Aircraft	Fatal	1
2 Jan 1968	Cessna 172B N8051X	Bellingham, Washington, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
25 Dec 1967	Cessna 172 N8160X	Millersburg, Ohio, United States approximate position	Lafayette Airm	Fatal	1
22 Oct 1967	Cessna 172 N8727B	Lexington, Nebraska, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
16 Sep 1967	Cessna 172 N5907A	Portland, Oregon, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
17 Jul 1967	Cessna 172 N5577R	Lk.jackson, Texas, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Jul 1967	Cessna 172 N8706U	Holland Ldg, Canada not on the map	-	Fatal	1
11 Jun 1967	Cessna 172H N1486F	Hawi, Hawaii, United States approximate position	Universal Ente	Fatal	1
30 May 1967	Cessna 172F N8806U	Houma, Louisiana, United States approximate position	Ocean Protein	Fatal	1
23 Apr 1967	Cessna 172F N5504R	Jackson Sc, South Carolina, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
9 Apr 1967	Cessna 172 N5945A	Lakeview, Arkansas, United States approximate position	B and C Aircra	Fatal	1
9 Mar 1967	Cessna 172 N3959S	Phoenix, Arizona, United States approximate position	Saguaro Aviati	Fatal	1
5 Mar 1967	Cessna 172 N7058A	Lequire, Oklahoma, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
1 Jan 1967	Cessna 172 N7378A	Spring Grove, Minnesota, United States approximate position	Four Star Flyi	Fatal	1
27 Nov 1966	Cessna 172 N1677Y	Wailau Hawaii, Hawaii, United States approximate position	Hickam Aero CL	Fatal	1
25 Nov 1966	Cessna 172G N5791R	Davenport Fla, Florida, United States approximate position	Skyway Aero CL	Fatal	1
10 Nov 1966	Cessna 172G N4194L	Greenwich Conn, Connecticut, United States approximate position	International	Fatal	1
3 Nov 1966	Cessna 172G N3646L	Venango Nebr, Nebraska, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
25 Sep 1966	Cessna 172 N5194A	Sailor Sprngs Ill, Illinois, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
3 Sep 1966	Cessna 172 N6725A	Detroit Mich, Michigan, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
28 Aug 1966	Cessna 172E N3915S	Knox City Mo, Missouri, United States approximate position	Lewistown Flyi	Fatal	1
15 Aug 1966	Cessna 172G N6003R	Middletown Conn, Connecticut, United States approximate position	Tobacco Valley	Fatal	1
8 Aug 1966	Cessna 172 N3894L	Chavies Ky, Kentucky, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
8 Jul 1966	Cessna 172B N7834X	Roy Mont, Montana, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
28 May 1966	Cessna 172 N5886A	Boyce la, Louisiana, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
16 May 1966	Cessna 172F N5701R	Dothan Ala, Alabama, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
27 Mar 1966	Cessna 172D N2958U	Newhall Calif., California, United States approximate position	Aztec Aircraft	Fatal	1
28 Feb 1966	Cessna 172C N8279X	Montesano Wash, Washington, United States approximate position	Satsop Flying	Fatal	1
27 Feb 1966	Cessna 172 N8177U	Portland Tenn, Tennessee, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
15 Jan 1966	Cessna 172D N8559X	Placitas N Mex, New Mexico, United States approximate position	Swstn Skyways	Fatal	1
12 Dec 1965	Cessna 172B N7543X	Oneonta Ala, Alabama, United States approximate position	Oneonta Fly SV	Fatal	1
12 Dec 1965	Cessna 172C N8445X	Montello Nev, Nevada, United States approximate position	Capital Aviati	Fatal	1
11 Dec 1965	Cessna 172 N1469Y	Kremmling Colo, Colorado, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
27 Nov 1965	Cessna 172 N6232E	St Marys Ga, Georgia, United States approximate position	Stick and Rudd	Fatal	1
7 Nov 1965	Cessna 172E N3573S	St.joseph Mich, Michigan, United States approximate position	Flying T-Birds	Fatal	1
21 Oct 1965	Cessna 172 N2736A	Liberty Ind, Indiana, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
10 Oct 1965	Cessna 172 N5724A	Puyallup, Washington, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
12 Sep 1965	Cessna 172B N7652X	Englewood Fla, Florida, United States approximate position	-	Fatal	1
7 Sep 1965	Cessna 172D N8282U	Kyburz Calif, California, United States approximate position	Comet Airways	Fatal	1