Ownership guide
Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP
3,069 registered in the US, built from about 1998 to 2026, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming IO-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 3,069
- Built
- 1998 to 2026
- Half built by
- 2009
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming IO-360
Engines installed
- Lycoming IO-3602,955 aircraft (96%) · 29 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
39 current ADs name the 172S airframe, 5 with a repeat action; 6 more were superseded. Its engines carry 29 more. 5 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.
- 2013-11-11Requires replacement when the engine oil pressure switch reaches its life limitEngine oil pressure · AirplaneSupersedes 2000-04-01Repeat actionJun 27, 2013
- 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
- 2001-06-17Requires a one-time inspection for proper engine idle speed and fuel control mixture setting and adjustment, as necessaryCessna Aircraft Company Models 172R and 172S Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionMar 30, 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
383 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 Section70
- Main Landing Gear Attach Section33
- Reciprocating Engine Power Section21
- Magneto/Distributor20
- Main Landing Gear16
- Engine Fuel Distribution13
Parts reported most
- Pushrod, worn27
- Bushing, defective26
- Hinge, cracked17
- Bushing, loose15
- Cylinder, cracked11
- Packing, leaking11
The latest reports
2026-10-09 · AC Generator-Alternator · Control unit, burned
The alternator circuit breaker popped after a previous reset. the acu (alternator control unit) p/n-ac2101, s/n-y59830 failed. installed a new acu, and the function check passed.
2026-09-21 · Propeller Assembly · Propeller, misinstalled
Propeller installed incorrectly at the factory, incorrect clocking causing propeller bushings to back out: the propeller clocked incorrectly with #1 cylinder at top dead center. the factory safety cables showing this prop hasn't been removed since taking delivery of the aircraft. two bushings backing out of the crank shaft. they are bolts 6 and 3, which are lined up with the prop blades due to i
2026-09-10 · Main Landing Gear Attach Section · Bushing, defective
The left landing gear leg bushing which secures the leg tightly to the airframe structure had a delaminated bushing liner which completely worked itself out of the bushing. the landing gear leg was flopping around inside this bushing.
2026-09-10 · Main Landing Gear Attach Section · Bushing, defective
The right landing gear leg bushing which secures the leg tightly to the airframe structure had a delaminated bushing liner which completely worked itself out of the bushing. the landing gear leg was flopping around inside this bushing.
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
255 accidents since 2008, 32 fatal (57 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 14 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Hard landing49
- Loss of control on ground41
- Loss of control in flight29
- Abnormal runway contact22
- Ground collision14
- Runway excursion12
Phase of flight
- Landing119
- Takeoff30
- Approach25
- Enroute21
- Maneuvering17
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-07 | Provo, UT | Initial climb: Windshear or thunderstorm | Fatal | WPR26FA294 |
| 2026-08-04 | Chilliwack, OF | Fatal | GAA26WA277B | |
| 2026-06-17 | Death valley, CA | Landing: Runway excursion | Minor | WPR26LA222 |
| 2026-06-11 | Morgan hill, CA | Maneuvering: Birdstrike | None | WPR26LA220 |
| 2026-05-29 | Colorado springs, CO | Takeoff: Loss of control on ground | None | CEN26LA210 |
| 2026-05-24 | Georgetown, TX | Landing: Hard landing | None | CEN26LA212 |
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 172S with the Lycoming IO-360: 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 (5 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 worn pushrods: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 5 equipment ADs name the 172S (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 172Ss are registered in the US?
- 3,069, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Cessna 172S built?
- From about 1998 to 2026. Half of those registered today were built by 2009.
- What engine does the Cessna 172S have?
- Most have the Lycoming IO-360 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Cessna 172S?
- In 383 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were reciprocating engine cylinder section, main landing gear attach section, reciprocating engine power section, and the part most often reported was a worn pushrod.
- How many accidents has the Cessna 172S had?
- 255 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 32 of them fatal. The most common defining event was hard landing. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Cessna 172S have?
- 39 current ADs name the 172S airframe, 5 of them with a repeat action, and 29 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.