Ownership guide
Cessna 172N Skyhawk
3,098 registered in the US, built from about 1976 to 1980, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-320. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 3,098
- Built
- 1976 to 1980
- Half built by
- 1978
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-320
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3202,907 aircraft (94%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
38 current ADs name the 172N airframe, 4 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 24 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
- 2001-23-03Extend the inspections and installation of the switch cover requirement to certain 172N, 172P, R172K, 172RG, F172N, F172P, FR172J, and FR172K series airplanesCessna Aircraft Company Models 172N, 172P, R172K, 172RG, F172N, F172P, FR172J, and FR172K Airplanes · AirplaneSupersedes 80-04-08Repeat actionNov 15, 2001
- 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
64 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 Section10
- Trailing Edge Flaps5
- Magneto/Distributor5
- Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines3
- Rudder Control System3
- Reciprocating Engine Power Section3
Parts reported most
- Stiffener, sheared6
- Control cable, frayed3
- Magneto, failed3
- Tube, failed2
- Cylinder head, cracked2
- Muffler, cracked2
The latest reports
2026-08-18 · Fuel Storage · Fuel cap, failed
Aircraft experienced a loss of engine power while in flight near amalga, utah. the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in a field. the cause of the engine power issue was determined to be a vented fuel cap that was not venting properly. the improper venting allowed a vacuum to develop in the fuel tank, which restricted fuel flow to the engine. as corrective action, both fuel caps were re
2026-07-02 · Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines · Carburetor, faulted
After only 360.49 tach hours in service found throttle getting stuck before full throttle stop. suspected accelerator pump plunger getting stuck not allowing throttle arm to hit full throttle stop.
2026-05-12 · Trailing Edge Flaps · Stiffener, sheared
Flap track stiffeners that keep the flap tracks straight and true were found to be sheared off and/or cracked
2026-04-14 · Trailing Edge Flaps · Stiffener, sheared
Flap track sriffeners that keep the flap tracks straight and true were found to be sheared off on the inboard rh inboard flap track
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
227 accidents since 2008, 40 fatal (81 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 19 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control on ground46
- Loss of control in flight23
- Hard landing22
- Loss of engine power (partial)12
- Loss of engine power (total)12
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)12
Phase of flight
- Landing84
- Approach33
- Enroute31
- Takeoff25
- Initial climb14
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-08 | San diego, CA | Approach: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | WPR26FA330 |
| 2026-09-07 | Panama city, FL | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | ERA26LA342 |
| 2026-08-09 | Morgantown, WV | Standing: Ground collision | None | ERA26LA297 |
| 2026-07-18 | Mooresville, NC | Landing: Hard landing | None | ERA26LA281 |
| 2026-05-18 | Westerly, RI | Approach: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | CEN26FA192 |
| 2026-04-22 | Carlsbad, CA | Landing: Loss of control on ground | None | WPR26LA169 |
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
Filled in for a Cessna 172N with the Lycoming O-320: a typical cruise fuel burn and the engine maker's published overhaul time. 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 (4 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 sheared stiffeners: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 11 equipment ADs name the 172N (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 172Ns are registered in the US?
- 3,098, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 172N built?
- From about 1976 to 1980. Half of those registered today were built by 1978.
- What engine does the Cessna 172N have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-320 (94% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 172N?
- In 64 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, trailing edge flaps, magneto/distributor, and the part most often reported was a sheared stiffener.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 172N had?
- 227 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 40 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 172N have?
- 38 current ADs name the 172N airframe, 4 of them with a repeat action, and 24 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.