Cessna Aircraft Co 172S

Aircraft Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Co

Model: 172S

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Cessna Aircraft Co
Manufacturer Serial Number 2072442
Model 172S
Category Land
Builder Certification Not Type Certificated
Aircraft Type Fixed wing single engine
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Reciprocating
Number of Engines 1 engine
Number of Seats 4 seats
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Safety Analysis

Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.

97%
Identity Confirmed

Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).


384 exact, 21 recovered, 12 provisional

Methodology
417
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


40 fatal accidents.

9.6% of recorded accidents were fatal.

3,135
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


43,132 (± 1,379)

Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).


Comparison

Within its peer cohort

Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).

This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →

Model class Share of cohort
Accidents
5.5%
Exposure
2.2%
Time series

Accidents by year

Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →

Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.

2008 – 2026 Total 417
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 417 observed): 2008 29, 2009 24, 2010 25, 2011 23, 2012 31, 2013 25, 2014 18, 2015 18, 2016 29, 2017 26, 2018 23, 2019 26, 2020 19, 2021 22, 2022 12, 2023 19, 2024 21, 2025 21, 2026 6. 9 18 27 36 0 29 '08 24 '09 25 '10 23 '11 31 '12 25 '13 18 '14 18 '15 29 '16 26 '17 23 '18 26 '19 19 '20 22 '21 12 '22 21 '23 23 '24 24 '25 18 '26
Composition

Phase of flight

Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.

11 categories Total 415
Landing 198
Takeoff 46
Approach 40
Enroute 33
Taxi 31
Maneuvering 23
Initial climb 21
Standing 10
Unknown 9
Prior to flight 3
Uncontrolled descent 1
Causes

Finding category

Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.

NTSB top-level codes Total 1,122
Personnel issues 517
Aircraft 361
Environmental issues 219
Not determined 24
Organizational issues 1
Outcomes

Injury severity

NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.

Highest per accident Total 410
None 320
Fatal 40
Minor 35
Serious 15

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (417)· NUSN (22)· UNK (4)· 129 (1)· 135 (1)· PUBU (1)

Recorded Accidents

All 417 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
The Rock, GA N63405 Substantial None Landing unknown
Marathon, FL N529ND Substantial None Enroute unknown
Carthage, NC N972WW Substantial None Takeoff unknown
Denver, CO N1071Z Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Augusta, KS N767VK Substantial Minor Takeoff unknown
New Castle, DE N969FG Substantial None Landing unknown
Lynchburg, VA N708LU Substantial None Enroute unknown
Lancaster, CA N5199J Substantial None Landing unknown
North Lauderdale, FL N1206U Substantial None Approach Aircraft
West Milford, NJ N677DM Substantial Minor Maneuvering Personnel issues, Aircraft
Lathrop, CA N103VK Substantial None Maneuvering Environmental issues
North La Junta, CO N617SP Substantial Minor Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Farmingdale, NY N6185U Substantial None Taxi Personnel issues
Los Banos, CA N5203H Destroyed Fatal unknown unknown
Gaithersburg, MD N505LP Substantial None Landing Personnel issues
Baltimore, MD N6208C Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Kissimmee, FL N121CW Substantial None Enroute unknown
Sisters, OR N787LF Destroyed Serious Initial climb unknown
Rusk, TX N52243 Substantial None Approach Aircraft, Personnel issues
Brooksville, FL N740SP Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
New Smyrna Beach, FL N923EP Substantial None Takeoff unknown
La Verne, CA N137RJ Substantial None Taxi unknown
Cottonwood, AZ N726ER Substantial None Approach Aircraft, Personnel issues
Marana, AZ N463ER Minor Fatal Initial climb unknown
Waco, TX N798SP Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues

Page 1 of 17 (showing accidents 1–25 of 417).

Data presented on this website is sourced directly from official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. To ensure accuracy, we try not to correct issues such as improper punctuation, spelling errors, empty fields, or unusual labels like "SALE REPORTED" for a registrant. We make every effort to present information as it appears in the FAA database. This website is not affiliated with any government agency.