Ownership guide
Cessna 172H Skyhawk
766 registered in the US, built from about 1966 to 1967, 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
- 766
- Built
- 1966 to 1967
- Half built by
- 1966
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Continental O-300
Engines installed
- Continental O-300749 aircraft (98%) · 7 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
32 current ADs name the 172H airframe, 3 with a repeat action; 2 more were superseded. Its engines carry 7 more. 13 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
1 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section1
Parts reported most
- Cylinder, separated1
The latest reports
2023-06-19 · Reciprocating Engine Cylinder Section · Cylinder, separated
Cyl '3 developed/, crack in the cylinder head between cooling fins iipproximatel y 1 625 inched above lowest fine at he/id/ 81\rrel attachment. iociited in lower corneer edge of clinder head on intake valve side. pilot noflced cyl head !hip risinc, to approximately 480 degrees rahrenhfit on cllԁ''l8 oul /'fter take off. engine started running a lil flf rough. this aircraft is used in a triiini
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
38 accidents since 2008, 6 fatal (9 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control in flight5
- Loss of engine power (total)5
- Loss of control on ground4
- Fuel exhaustion3
- Loss of engine power (partial)2
- Abnormal runway contact2
Phase of flight
- Enroute9
- Landing7
- Initial climb6
- Takeoff5
- Approach3
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | Berryville, AR | Takeoff: Loss of control in flight | Serious | CEN26LA201 |
| 2025-08-28 | Goliad, TX | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | CEN25LA360 |
| 2025-07-09 | Century, FL | Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total) | None | ERA25LA261 |
| 2025-06-29 | Manokotak, AK | Landing: Nose over/nose down | None | ANC25LA056 |
| 2024-05-01 | Belle chasse, LA | Landing: Abnormal runway contact | None | CEN24LA186 |
| 2023-08-19 | Santa rosa, CA | Approach: Loss of engine power (total) | None | WPR23LA320 |
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 reciprocating engine cylinder section and for separated cylinders: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 13 equipment ADs name the 172H (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 172Hs are registered in the US?
- 766, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 172H built?
- From about 1966 to 1967. Half of those registered today were built by 1966.
- What engine does the Cessna 172H have?
- Most have the Continental O-300 (98% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 172H?
- In 1 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, and the part most often reported was a separated cylinder.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 172H had?
- 38 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 6 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 172H have?
- 32 current ADs name the 172H 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.