Ownership guide
Cessna 172F Skyhawk
708 registered in the US, built from about 1964 to 1965, 4 seats, most with the Continental O-300. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 708
- Built
- 1964 to 1965
- Half built by
- 1965
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental O-300
Engines installed
- Continental O-300670 aircraft (95%) · 7 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
33 current ADs name the 172F airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 7 more. 11 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2011-10-09Requires retaining all of the actions from the previous AD and adding steps to the inspection procedures in the previous ADStandard practices structures · AirplaneSupersedes 87-20-03 R2Repeat actionMay 13, 2011
- 2011-06-02Requires installing a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) backup battery, replacing the supplement pilot's operating handbook and FAA approved airplane flight manual, and replacing the FADEC backup battery...Engine · AirplaneRepeat actionApr 21, 2011
- 97-12-06Requires checking the clearance between both the gascolator and cowling area and the tailpipe and cowling area, and modifying these areas immediately if any evidence of rubbing at either location is found or...Cessna Aircraft Company Model 172R Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionJul 9, 1997
What gets reported
5 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Aircraft Fuel Distribution System1
- Fuselage Main, Structure1
- Elevator Control System1
- Autopilot Main Servo1
- Turbine Engine Oil System1
Parts reported most
- Fuel line, chafed1
- Spar, cracked1
- Torque tube, sheared1
- Servo, binding1
- Oil system, bent1
The latest reports
2026-10-01 · Elevator Control System · Torque tube, sheared
Upon completing a preflight inspection, noticed slight damage to the metal skin that runs over the connection points between the horizontal stab & elevator. the damage implied an overextension of the elevator in such a way where the metal skin impacted the connection & dented the metal. this should not be possible due to the size of the gap & limitation in elevator movement of travel distance. the
2021-11-02 · Turbine Engine Oil System · Oil system, bent
Certified flight instructor and student were practicing stalls when, after 3 or 4 stalls, the yoke jammed in the rear position and the aircraft went into a spin. aircraft lost over 700 feet of altitude before certified flight instructor was eventually able to recover after forcing the yoke forward. certified flight instructor immediately flew back to kcps. mechanic that responded found that the yo
2020-10-16 · Fuselage Main, Structure · Spar, cracked
Aircraft was under an 2020 annual inspection. faa asi were on site performing as ia audit. noticed a structural crack (1/4 inch) and gouge on structural on lower corner on spar assembly-fuselage center section-forward attach point, see photos.
2019-05-21 · Aircraft Fuel Distribution System · Fuel line, chafed
During annual inspection the main fuel line in the cockpit below the copilot left rudder was found to be chafed by the right steering rod. as the steering rod strokes to command rudder and nose wheel position, the rod wears against the fuel line. our line was found to be about 95% worn through the wall of tube. installation is possible original, but there is no way of telling for sure. line ca
From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.
Accident record
33 accidents since 2008, 5 fatal (6 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 3 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)5
- Loss of control on ground4
- Fuel exhaustion4
- Loss of control in flight3
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)2
- Loss of engine power (partial)2
Phase of flight
- Approach11
- Landing6
- Enroute4
- Maneuvering3
- Initial climb3
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-28 | Antigo, WI | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | CEN26LA273 |
| 2025-09-26 | Battle ground, WA | Maneuvering: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | Fatal | WPR25FA294 |
| 2025-09-13 | Lancaster, TX | Approach: Fuel exhaustion | None | CEN25LA377 |
| 2025-06-02 | Vero beach, FL | Approach: Unknown or undetermined | Minor | ERA25LA216 |
| 2024-08-06 | Brazoria, TX | Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | CEN24FA305 |
| 2024-06-19 | Ruston, LA | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | CEN24LA232 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (3 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the aircraft fuel distribution system and for chafed fuel lines: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 11 equipment ADs name the 172F (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
The rest of the 172 family
Questions
- How many Cessna 172Fs are registered in the US?
- 708, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 172F built?
- From about 1964 to 1965. Half of those registered today were built by 1965.
- What engine does the Cessna 172F have?
- Most have the Continental O-300 (95% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 172F?
- In 5 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were aircraft fuel distribution system, fuselage main, structure, elevator control system, and the part most often reported was a chafed fuel line.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 172F had?
- 33 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 5 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 172F have?
- 33 current ADs name the 172F airframe, 3 of them with a repeat action, and 7 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.