Cessna 172S
Aircraft Manufacturer: Cessna
Model: 172S
About the Cessna 172S
The Cessna 172S records about 9.7 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years over its FAA-registration exposure. Measured against peers of the same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range, that places the model in a safety percentile band covering nearly all of the cohort, where a higher percentile means a higher accident rate. Read against that cohort, the 172S carries a higher accident rate than nearly all comparable types. Of 418 recorded accidents, 40 were fatal.
The Cessna 172S is the most-registered model in Textron Aviation's active lineup, with more than 1,000 airframes on the U.S. civil registry. That standing accounts for about 28% of the manufacturer's active fleet. Of every registry record the model has ever held, about two-thirds remain registered today.
Aircraft Details
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer Serial Number | 2072449 |
| Model | 172S |
| Category | Land |
| 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 |
Share your captured photos of the Cessna 172S, receive attribution and a link. 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).
384 exact, 22 recovered, 12 provisional
MethodologyTotal recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.
40 fatal accidents.
9.6% of recorded accidents were fatal.
Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.
43,076 (± 1,360)
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 (418)· NUSN (22)· UNK (4)· 129 (1)· 135 (1)· PUBU (1)
Recorded Accidents
All 418 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.
| Date | Location | Tail | Damage | Highest injury | Phase of flight | Finding categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchville, MD | N419SP | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Addison, TX | N893JA | Substantial | Serious | Takeoff | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Grand Prairie, TX | N24144 | Substantial | None | Takeoff | Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Mount Vernon, OH | N785SP | Destroyed | Minor | Approach | Not determined | |
| Batavia, OH | N12064 | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Phoenix, AZ | N154ME | Substantial | Minor | Maneuvering | Aircraft | |
| Hillsboro, TX | N363CK | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Danbury, CT | N383ME | Substantial | None | Initial climb | Environmental issues | |
| Moorabbin | VH-EWE | Substantial | Fatal | Approach | unknown | |
| San Diego, CA | N786SA | Substantial | Minor | Taxi | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Fuquay Varina, NC | N1305B | Substantial | None | Taxi | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Orlando, FL | N497SJ | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Westminster, MD | N789EP | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Palo Alto, CA | N254EK | Substantial | None | Approach | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Kent, OH | N103KS | Substantial | None | Landing | Environmental issues | |
| Ocean City, MD | N615JA | Destroyed | Fatal | Enroute | Personnel issues, Not determined, Environmental issues | |
| Brunswick, GA | N410ER | Substantial | None | Taxi | Personnel issues | |
| Babylon, NY | N294ME | Substantial | None | Enroute | Not determined, Environmental issues | |
| McKinney, TX | N9520Z | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Park Rapids, MN | N524ND | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Bowie, MD | N474SP | Substantial | None | Approach | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Daytona Beach, FL | N452ER | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Columbus, OH | N30SU | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Trenton, NJ | N2138W | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Bonners Ferry, ID | N55234 | Substantial | None | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Environmental issues |
Page 7 of 17 (showing accidents 151–175 of 418).
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