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
4 Nov 1979	Cessna 172 N737TH	Shadigee, New York, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
7 Mar 1979	Cessna 172 N6788A	Eureka, California, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
19 Feb 1979	Cessna 172 N1527V	Mt Baldy, California, United States no coordinates	Central Aviati	Fatal	3
19 Dec 1978	Cessna 172K N79029	Austin, Texas, United States no coordinates	Dallas North A	Fatal	3
23 Nov 1978	Cessna 172F N5170F	McAdoo, Pennsylvania, United States no coordinates	Langley Aero	Fatal	3
20 Nov 1978	Cessna 172N N733QV	Ormond Beach, Florida, United States no coordinates	Embry Riddle	Fatal	3
10 Sep 1978	Cessna 172K N84380	MacKinaw City, Michigan, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
20 May 1978	Cessna 172M N92572	Lapeer, Michigan, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
16 Mar 1978	Cessna 172 C-GHUS	Lynden, Washington, United States no coordinates	Coastal Pacifi	Fatal	3
16 Sep 1977	Cessna 172K N78597	Skykomish, Washington, United States no coordinates	Sealand Air In	Fatal	3
2 Sep 1977	Cessna 172 N61661	Palmer, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Aero Tech Flig	Fatal	3
17 Aug 1977	Cessna 172 N7985U	Nsalina, Utah, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
14 Aug 1977	Cessna 172D N2113Y	St.louis, Missouri, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
13 Jun 1977	Cessna 172M N1243U	Peoria, Arizona, United States no coordinates	Precisionair	Fatal	3
24 Jan 1977	Cessna 172M N73478	Forks, Washington, United States no coordinates	Pearson Aircra	Fatal	3
11 Dec 1976	Cessna 172M N64024	Vandalia, Illinois, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
20 Nov 1976	Cessna 172M N9603H	Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States no coordinates	Mesaba Aviatio	Fatal	3
12 Sep 1976	Cessna 172H N8228L	Glen Rose, Texas, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
18 Jun 1976	Cessna 172M N13132	Sperry, Oklahoma, United States no coordinates	Cbsi Aero Club	Fatal	3
18 Jun 1976	Cessna 172I N35339	Sperry, Oklahoma, United States no coordinates	Oklahoma Airme	Fatal	3
4 Jun 1976	Cessna 172B N6916X	Curlew, Washington, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
31 May 1976	Cessna 172M N80946	Shelbyville, Illinois, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
16 May 1976	Cessna 172H N3744R	Hollister, California, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
11 Feb 1976	Cessna 172K N79285	Burlington, Vermont, United States no coordinates	Northland Flyi	Fatal	3
27 Jun 1975	Cessna 172M N1431V	Manila, Utah, United States no coordinates	Basin Flying S	Fatal	3
4 Jun 1975	Cessna 172M N92354	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported no coordinates	American Aviat	Fatal	3
4 Jun 1975	Cessna 172M N92354	Hideaway Park, Colorado, United States no coordinates	Amer-Aviation	Fatal	3
30 Apr 1975	Cessna 172M N4612Q	Grosse Pointe, Michigan, United States no coordinates	Olsen Flight S	Fatal	3
15 Mar 1975	Cessna 172K N7196G	Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean North Lat. no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
28 Jan 1975	Cessna 172K N79251	Columbus, Indiana, United States no coordinates	Aviation Unli	Fatal	3
12 Dec 1974	Cessna 172 N5868A	Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
7 Dec 1974	Cessna 172L N7162Q	Tuxedo, New York, United States no coordinates	Linden Flight	Fatal	3
30 Nov 1974	Cessna 172M N42294	Ochopee, Florida, United States no coordinates	Venice Flying	Fatal	3
6 Nov 1974	Cessna 172 N19927	Bridgewater, Maine, United States no coordinates	Martin and SOU	Fatal	3
27 Sep 1974	Cessna 172K N46568	Glendale Hts, Illinois, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
31 Aug 1974	Cessna 172M N5142R	Saltville, Virginia, United States	-	Fatal	3
30 Aug 1974	Cessna 172M N5142R	Missing Aircraft, Unknown/Not Reported no coordinates	Holland Flying	Fatal	3
1 Mar 1974	Cessna 172A N7820T	Waterville, Washington, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
18 Jan 1974	Cessna 172A N7779T	Jackson, Georgia, United States no coordinates	Mills Drywalls	Fatal	3
5 Jan 1974	Cessna 172M N19959	Ada, Oklahoma, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
21 Dec 1973	Cessna 172I N35578	Callahan, California, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
25 Sep 1973	Cessna 172F N7858U	Weaverville, California, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
16 Sep 1973	Cessna 172L N2855Q	Chiloquin, Oregon, United States no coordinates	Southern Orego	Fatal	3
10 Sep 1973	Cessna 172 N7636X	Silverado, California, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
27 Jul 1973	Cessna 172K N78297	Yukon, Oklahoma, United States no coordinates	Air Center EMP	Fatal	3
4 Jul 1973	Cessna 172E N3886S	Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States no coordinates	Island Flying	Fatal	3
29 Jun 1973	Cessna 172 N8291B	Cottonwood, Arizona, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
30 Apr 1973	Cessna 172 N20318	Mena, Arkansas, United States no coordinates	Eastex Aviatio	Fatal	3
7 Apr 1973	Cessna 172G N7539G	Tuttle, Oklahoma, United States no coordinates	Redleg Flying	Fatal	3
16 Mar 1973	Cessna 172E N38006	Montvale, Virginia, United States no coordinates	Ft.eustis Flyi	Fatal	3