Cessna 172N
Aircraft Manufacturer: Cessna
Model: 172N
About the Cessna 172N
The Cessna 172N holds the second-largest active registered fleet in Cessna's lineup. More than 3,000 of its airframes remain on the U.S. civil registry, which is about 4% of Cessna's total active registered fleet.
On the safety record, the 172N sits at about the three-quarters mark of its safety peer cohort, meaning a higher accident rate than about three-quarters of comparable types drawn from the same aircraft-type, engine-class, and seat-range group. The model's accident rate is about 5 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years over its FAA-registration exposure, and about 11% of its recorded accidents were fatal.
About half of all U.S. registry records ever held for the 172N remain on the active registry today. The deregistered remainder runs to more than 2,500 airframes.
Aircraft Details
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer Serial Number | 2072434 |
| Model | 172N |
| Category | Land |
| Aircraft Type | Fixed wing single engine |
| Cruise Speed | 105 MPH / 91 knots |
| 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 |
Share your captured photos of the Cessna 172N, receive attribution and a link. Asking Prices
What sellers are asking for the Cessna 172N, across current listings, grouped by model year.
As of October 14, 2026. How we calculate this.
| Years | Currency | Typical asking range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–1979 | USD | ≈ $130k – $180k | ≈ $160k |
| 1980–1984 | USD | ≈ $120k – $180k | ≈ $130k |
These are asking prices, not sale prices. What any one aircraft asks or sells for can swing widely with airframe and engine condition, damage history, avionics, paint and interior, logbooks and service records, and plenty else a listing never shows.
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.
Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).
312 exact, 6 recovered, 9 provisional
MethodologyTotal recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.
36 fatal accidents.
11.0% of recorded accidents were fatal.
Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.
64,753
Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).
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 →
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.
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.
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.
Injury severity
NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.
Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (327)· NUSN (25)· 135 (3)· NUSC (1)
Recorded Accidents
All 327 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.
| Date | Location | Tail | Damage | Highest injury | Phase of flight | Finding categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalskag, AK | N5290J | Substantial | Serious | Initial climb | Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft | |
| McKinney, TX | N737TY | Substantial | None | Landing | Environmental issues, Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Poplar Grove, IL | N4811G | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Owls Head, ME | N6142F | Substantial | Fatal | Takeoff | Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft | |
| Moline, IL | N6231F | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Eloy, AZ | N8293E | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Sand Point, ID | N3082E | Substantial | None | Landing | Environmental issues | |
| Ashland, OR | N738AJ | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Rockford, ID | N5204K | Substantial | None | Enroute | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Wichita, KS | N73743 | Substantial | Minor | Landing | Personnel issues | |
| Orleans, VT | N738QF | Substantial | Minor | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Kelso, WA | N5290D | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Environmental issues, Personnel issues | |
| Flat Rock, VA | N4737D | Substantial | None | Enroute | Not determined | |
| Floresville, TX | N5427J | Substantial | Fatal | Maneuvering | Personnel issues | |
| Fresno, CA | N7582D | Substantial | Fatal | Maneuvering | Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Wauseon, OH | N737ET | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Pompano Beach, FL | N739JN | Substantial | Minor | Approach | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Covington, LA | N2401E | Substantial | None | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Wadsworth, OH | N9348E | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Plymouth, MA | N739RU | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Winnsboro, LA | N3209E | Substantial | None | Approach | Aircraft, Environmental issues, Personnel issues | |
| Porthill, ID | N733BT | Substantial | None | Taxi | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Orange Beach, AL | N109DP | Substantial | None | Enroute | Aircraft | |
| Olympia, WA | N5366J | Substantial | None | Taxi | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Santa Teresa, NM | N739ZN | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Environmental issues |
Page 10 of 14 (showing accidents 226–250 of 327).