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.

6,274 of these records have no coordinates in the source data, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.

12,209

Records

1,728

Fatal

3,521

Deaths

14%

Share fatal

1964 to 2026

Period

Show these on the map 5,935 of 12,209 have coordinates

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
18 Oct 2001	Cessna 172 N8255B	South Hero, Vermont, United States	-	Fatal	3
3 Oct 2001	Cessna 172N N733SW	Decatur Island, Washington, United States	West Isle Air, Inc.	Fatal	3
29 Mar 2001	Cessna 172N N2838E	Santa Monica, California, United States	Justice Aviation, Inc.	Fatal	3
12 Aug 2000	Cessna 172H N1749F	Peachtree City, Georgia, United States	William B. Senft	Fatal	3
2 May 2000	Cessna 172M N13145	Cornell, Wisconsin, United States	Cornell Aero Works	Fatal	3
16 Sep 1999	Cessna 172H N1406F	Plattsburg, Missouri, United States	-	Fatal	3
29 Aug 1999	Cessna 172N N737CJ	Sussex, New Jersey, United States no coordinates	Air Transport, Inc.	Fatal	3
4 Jun 1998	Cessna 172N N6234D	Prindle, Washington, United States	-	Fatal	3
24 Sep 1997	Cessna 172M N6756H	Bremerton, Washington, United States	-	Fatal	3
2 Jun 1997	Cessna 172N N4752D	Comerio no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
26 Oct 1996	Cessna 172P N9818L	St. Croix no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
3 Sep 1996	Cessna 172 N8739B	Eagle River, Alaska, United States	-	Fatal	3
11 Aug 1996	Cessna 172P N65632	Summersville, West Virginia, United States	-	Fatal	3
9 Jun 1996	Cessna 172N N734FB	Bermuda Dunes, California, United States	JIM Kuhn & BOB Martin	Fatal	3
6 Apr 1996	Cessna 172 N6234E	Barkhamsted, Connecticut, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
26 Feb 1996	Cessna 172D N2598U	Julian, California, United States	-	Fatal	3
20 Feb 1996	Cessna 172N N738ED	Julian, California, United States	-	Fatal	3
2 Dec 1995	Cessna 172P N98003	Hallett, Oklahoma, United States	Spartan Flight School	Fatal	3
10 Oct 1995	Cessna 172RG N4834V	Bayfield, Colorado, United States	-	Fatal	3
13 Sep 1995	Cessna 172M N61899	Witter, Arkansas, United States	-	Fatal	3
1 Sep 1995	Cessna 172M N6564H	Portland, Maine, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
7 Apr 1995	Cessna 172M N20819	Eldersburg, Maryland, United States	JD Kreis Aviation Incorporated	Fatal	3
14 Jan 1995	Cessna 172N N1535E	Blyn, Washington, United States	Coastal Airways, Inc.	Fatal	3
15 Nov 1994	Cessna 172K N7178G	Springerville, Arizona, United States	-	Fatal	3
8 Oct 1994	Cessna 172N N4851D	Ochopee, Florida, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
1 Oct 1993	Cessna 172N N172LS	Ellensburg, Washington, United States	U.s. Navy	Fatal	3
29 May 1993	Cessna 172P N53408	Enumclaw, Washington, United States	Flight Tech	Fatal	3
7 Mar 1993	Cessna 172G N5972R	Jackson, Georgia, United States	-	Fatal	3
17 Dec 1992	Cessna 172M N1169U	Laie, Hawaii, United States	Hickam Wheeler Aero Club	Fatal	3
20 Nov 1992	Cessna 172 N5952R	Brownsboro, Alabama, United States	Derrick Mitchell	Fatal	3
2 Aug 1992	Cessna 172H N8183L	Grayling, Michigan, United States	Safety Flying Club, Inc.	Fatal	3
11 Jun 1992	Cessna 172I N225EB	Chino Hills, California, United States	Tomich, Luis A.	Fatal	3
9 Jun 1992	Cessna 172P N5449K	Big Sur, California, United States	Del Monte Aviation	Fatal	3
1 Jun 1992	Cessna 172N N738YV	Brookeville, Maryland, United States	Congressional Air	Fatal	3
24 May 1992	Cessna 172B N8102X	Cherokee, North Carolina, United States	Baldwin, Ronnie W.	Fatal	3
10 Nov 1991	Cessna 172M N80274	Carmel Valley, California, United States	William T. Cleverdon, III	Fatal	3
18 Oct 1991	Cessna 172N N733QL	Columbus, Montana, United States	Corporate Air	Fatal	3
5 Sep 1991	Cessna 172 N739YG	Arroyo Grande, California, United States	Novo Helicopters, Inc.	Fatal	3
23 Aug 1991	Cessna 172 N98785	Eklutna Lake, Alaska, United States	-	Fatal	3
6 Mar 1991	Cessna 172N CGIXI	Bellingham, Washington, United States	Trinity Western University	Fatal	3
6 Mar 1991	Cessna 172M CGJNM	Bellingham, Washington, United States	Trinity Western University	Fatal	3
2 Feb 1991	Cessna 172P N62746	Augusta, Maine, United States no coordinates	Maine Wing	Fatal	3
16 Oct 1990	Cessna 172P N5499K	Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States	Bowman Aviation, Inc	Fatal	3
2 Oct 1990	Cessna 172P N98438	Gorham, New Hampshire, United States no coordinates	Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc	Fatal	3
6 May 1990	Cessna 172N N76089	New Richmond, Wisconsin, United States	-	Fatal	3
26 Dec 1989	Cessna 172N N3353E	Washington Twp, New Jersey, United States no coordinates	Darryl Nitke	Fatal	3
20 Jul 1989	Cessna 172G N4254L	Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States	Gordon Air Services	Fatal	3
6 May 1989	Cessna 172 N6129E	Industry, California, United States	-	Fatal	3
8 Feb 1989	Cessna 172RG N6525V	Mosinee, Wisconsin, United States	Andrew & Mary Aviation, Inc.	Fatal	3
3 Sep 1988	Cessna 172P N51886	Kauai, Hawaii, United States	Eveland Aero Service	Fatal	3