Cessna 172L

2 ADs match the Cessna 172L airframe. Engine ADs depend on the engine installed and are listed on each aircraft page.

• 2011-10-09Cessna Aircraft Company Models 150, 152, 170, 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 190…Jun 17, 2011
• 2011-06-02Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Model 172 Airplanes Modified by Supplemental Type…May 26, 2011

AI-extracted — verify against original. Applicability must be confirmed by a mechanic against the aircraft's records.

NTSB events

212

Destroyed

33

Substantial damage

174

Minor damage

2

No damage

0

Per 1,000 aircraft per year, 2016–2025

4.1

Events are NTSB accidents and incidents matched to Cessna 172L airframes by serial number or N-number; counts are approximate, because older events can't always be matched. The yearly rate divides NTSB events from 2016 to 2025 by the number of registered Cessna 172L aircraft in each of those years. Not adjusted for hours flown: training aircraft fly far more than most.

• Aug 18, 2026Substantial damage · none injuries · Micanopy, FLN3866Q
• Aug 16, 2026Substantial damage · none injuries · Upland, CAN7526G
• Jun 27, 2026Substantial damage · none injuries · Greensboro, NCN7764G
• Feb 28, 2026Substantial damage · minor injuries · Bennettsville, SCN7864G
• Nov 24, 2025Substantial damage · none injuries · Zanesville, OHN7805G

39 reports on Cessna 172L airframes. Each aircraft page lists its own reports.

2 ADs published since 1998 may apply to the Cessna 172L; recurring ADs need to be checked at each inspection. 212 NTSB events since 1982 involve Cessna 172L airframes; from 2016 to 2025, about 4.1 a year per 1,000 registered aircraft. Operators and repair stations filed 39 service difficulty reports on Cessna 172L airframes since 1995. Check each aircraft's own record before you buy.

• Read the logbooks for the airframe, engine and propeller, start to finish.
• Check AD compliance records against the ADs that may apply.
• Look for damage history and Form 337 major repairs and alterations.
• Have an independent A&P or IA do a pre-buy inspection.
• Run a title search and use escrow for the payment.