| 05/01/1972 | XW539 | Buccaneer S2B | 12 Sqn | Flew into the Irish Sea off the Isle of Man killing both crew | |
| 06/01/1972 | XP104 | BL-410 | Wessex HAS3 | 820 NAS | Suffered an engine fire while en route to HMS Blake. and ditched into Valetta Harbour, Malta. It remained afloat but, while under tow, it turned over and sank off Delimara Point |
| 10/01/1972 | XT876 | VL-160 | Phantom FG1 | 767 NAS | Crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Trevose Head, Cornwall. The crew ejected |
| 12/01/1972 | XW918 | Harrier GR1 | 4 Sqn | Failed to recover from a dive out of cloud during a demonstration for the Swiss Air Force at Wildenrath and crashed at Tuschenbroich, West Germany. The pilot ejected but his seat struck the side of a building and he was killed | |
| 13/01/1972 | XV645 | PO-529 | Sea King HAS1 | 737 NAS | The No2 engine ran down while in the hover 22 miles south of Portland Bill, Dorset. It ditched and the crew escaped before it sank. Recovered and delivered to the AIU at Lee-on-Solent |
| 20/01/1972 | XS534 | 432 | Wasp HAS1 | 829 NAS HMS Scylla Flt | The engine exploded on take off from HMS Scylla. It ditched into the South Atlantic Ocean alongside the ship north of Ascension Island and sank. The crew were rescued but the helicopter was not recovered |
| 20/01/1972 | XV628 | 464 | Wasp HAS1 | 829 NAS HMS Danae Flt | Suffered tail rotor drive shaft failure and crashed into a coconut plantation 1½ miles north east of RAF Tengah, Singapore. The two crew were injured |
| 03/02/1972 | XT106 | R | Sioux AH1 | 3 CBAS | Hit trees and crashed at Woodhouse Eaves, near Loughborough Leicestershire after the pilot became disorientated in fog on high ground. Both crew were killed |
| 09/02/1972 | WB552 | Chipmunk T10 | Halton Station Flt | Crashed near Boarstall, Bucks after loss of control in a spin. The pilot was killed and the passenger was seriously injured | |
| 14/02/1972 | XT913 | Phantom FGR2 | 228 OCU | Crashed into the North Sea one mile north of Happisburgh, Norfolk after an hydraulic failure. The crew ejected | |
| 15/02/1972 | XT269 | R-031 | Buccaneer S2 | 809 NAS | The handler positioned the aircraft on the aft deck aft of HMS Ark Royal in preparation for the morning’s flying in the North Atlantic. The tractor towing arm was released before it was braked and chained and a sudden swell took the aircraft over the side. It sank in deep water and was not recovered. Because of this Buccaneer S1 XN954 was deliberately pushed over the side of Ark Royal on 14th April 1974 to re-stage the incident |
| 16/02/1972 | XP698 | B | Lightning F3 | 29 Sqn | Collided during night exercises and crashed into the North Sea 40 miles east of Ipswich, Suffolk. The pilot of XP698 was killed but the other pilot ejected safely |
| 16/02/1972 | XP747 | S | Lightning F3 | 29 Sqn | |
| 16/02/1972 | XS121 | PO-435 | Wessex HAS3 | 737 NAS | Suffered an engine failure whilst in the hover at 200ft and ten miles off Portland Bill, Dorset. It rolled over and sank but all of the crew were rescued |
| 14/03/1972 | XR948 | 48 | Gnat T1 | 4 FTS | Crashed near Llanbedr, Merioneth after engine failure. The pilot ejected safely |
| 16/03/1972 | XT208 | Sioux AH1 | 656 Sqn | The cabin door opened while flying low over Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. The pilot became distracted when he tried to close it and the aircraft struck the water. He was rescued safely | |
| 21/03/1972 | XV802 | XX | Harrier GR1 | 20 Sqn | Crashed at Stadtoldendorf south of Hanover, West Germany. The pilot was killed |
| 08/04/1972 | XS609 | Andover C1 | 46 Sqn | Suffered an engine failure during take off from Siena, Italy. A wing hit the ground causing the aircraft to cartwheel killing four on board | |
| 10/04/1972 | XV662 | E-140 | Sea King HAS1 | 826 NAS | Severe vibration occurred whilst sonar dunking in the English Channel seven miles south of the Lizard, Cornwall. It ditched and rolled over in the heavy swell then sank but not before the crew escaped safely. Recovered and allocated to Portland for ground instruction |
| 26/04/1972 | XM667 | 56 | Whirlwind HAS7 | 705 NAS | The engine began to misfire whilst climbing out of Culdrose, Cornwall and force landed into a field north of the airfield. Airlifted back to Culdrose beneath Sea King XV661. Allocated to Lee-on-Solent AES as A2629 but ended its days at Predannack Fire School |
| 26/04/1972 | XV749 | K | Harrier GR1 | 1 Sqn | Crashed into the North Sea one mile off Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire after a bird strike. The pilot ejected |
| 01/05/1972 | XV777 | W | Harrier GR1 | 1 Sqn | Crashed at Wittering, Cambs during transition from hover to forward flight. The pilot ejected |
| 04/05/1972 | XV794 | K | Harrier GR1 | 4 Sqn | Suffered a bird strike. The pilot ejected but the aircraft flew on for 40 minutes before eventually crashing at Hutten, West Germany |
| 08/05/1972 | XP302 | Whirlwind HAR10 | 84 Sqn | Badly damaged in Cyprus. Returned to the UK, and allocated to 8443M at Manston | |
| 11/05/1972 | XP340 | C | Whirlwind HAR10 | 28 Sqn | All were blown over during strong winds during the night at Kai Tak, Hong Kong. There had been no room in the hangar for them as the unit was converting to the Wessex at the time. XP340 was allocated to Manston dump, XP363 to 8228M and XR455 to 8219M both with 1 SoTT at Halton |
| 11/05/1972 | XP363 | D | Whirlwind HAR10 | 28 Sqn | |
| 11/05/1972 | XR455 | J | Whirlwind HAR10 | 28 Sqn | |
| 08/06/1972 | XN245 | Cadet TX3 | 618 GS | Written off in a flying accident at West Malling, Kent | |
| 13/06/1972 | XV162 | Buccaneer S2B | 12 Sqn | Flew into the North Sea off Bridlington, Yorkshire in bad visibility. Both crew were killed | |
| 20/06/1972 | XW920 | Harrier GR1A | 3 Sqn | Crashed at Decimomannu, Sardinia after fuel failure. The pilot ejected | |
| 26/06/1972 | XR444 | Sea Heron C1 | 781 NAS | Ditched into the Irish Sea after all four engines failed due to fuel mismanagement. All occupants were rescued safely. Allocated to Melton Mowbray for ground instruction | |
| 26/06/1972 | WJ610 | T | Canberra T19 | 100 Sqn | Dived into the ground in flames two miles SSW of West Raynham, Norfolk shortly after take off. Both crew were killed |
| 27/06/1972 | XV780 | B | Harrier GR1A | 4 Sqn | Crashed at Wessel, West Germany after a bird strike. The pilot ejected |
| 29/06/1972 | XL474 | LM-762 | Gannet AEW3 | 849 NAS | Stalled and crashed on approach to Yeovilton, Somerset during a demonstration flight after suffering a flap failure |
| 06/07/1972 | XT114 | Sioux AH1 | 663 Sqn | Crashed and burnt out on the Otterburn Ranges, Northumberland, during exercise 'Sky Warrior'. The rotors struck high ground after the pilot was distracted. He escaped without injury | |
| 07/07/1972 | XP700 | K | Lightning F3 | 29 Sqn | During take off from Wattisham, Suffolk the tail bumper and ventral tank struck the runway. The pilot attempted an emergency landing but an engine fire forced him to eject. The aircraft crashed at Great Waldingfield near Sudbury |
| 10/08/1972 | XF384 | 72 | Hunter F6 | 4 FTS | Collided at 200 feet over Rhoscolyn, Anglesey. XF384 crashed onto the Silver Bay Holiday Camp striking several caravans and killing a woman and her dog (named Jet). XF387 crashed into a field adjacent to the holiday park killing the pilot |
| 10/08/1972 | XF387 | 77 | Hunter F6 | 4 FTS | |
| 11/08/1972 | XW560 | Jaguar S | A&AEE | The port engine exploded during the run up for take off from Boscombe Down, Wiltshire due to disintegration of the 3rd stage disc on the high pressure compressor. The pilot evacuated the aircraft which was soon engulfed in flames after a fuel pipe was severed by the explosion. To ground instruction at Lossiemouth | |
| 28/08/1972 | XT454 | AL | Wessex HU5 | 845 NAS | Flew into power lines at Bicton Wood, Callington, Cornwall and crashed into a dense copse. The crew managed to escape safely |
| 30/08/1972 | XS161 | 51 | Hiller HT2 | 705 NAS | Crashed on Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall and broke up after failing to recover from a practice autorotation |
| 06/09/1972 | XS455 | T | Lightning T5 | 5 Sqn | Crashed into the North Sea off Spurn Head, Humberside. The pilot and the Belgian Air Force lieutenant passenger had ejected following hydraulic failure |
| 07/09/1972 | WR967 | Shackleton MR2 | 8 Sqn | Badly damaged in a heavy landing at Lossiemouth, Morayshire. Allocated to 8398M at Lossiemouth | |
| 12/09/1972 | XV799 | 99 | Harrier GR1 | 233 OCU | Crashed into a hill on the Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland after loss of control in low cloud. The pilot was killed |
| 12/09/1972 | XV194 | Hercules C1 | LTW | Veered of the runway on landing at Tromso, Norway and was damaged beyond repair. To Marshalls, Cambridge for spares recovery | |
| 12/09/1972 | XW356 | 8 | Jet Provost T5 | RAFC | Crashed onto the main railway line at Tupton near Chesterfield, Derbyshire after loss off control. The pilot ejected safely |
| 27/09/1972 | XS490 | AG | Wessex HU5 | 845 NAS | Ditched alongside HMS Albion off Norway after take off. It had swung to starboard and the tail struck Wessex XS485. Both crew and ten Royal Marines were rescued |
| 06/10/1972 | XV339 | Buccaneer S2A | RNAY Belfast | Crashed into a factory in Orby Road, Castlereagh, Belfast, Northern Ireland during a test flight from Sydenham. Both crew ejected safely | |
| 06/10/1972 | XH172 | Canberra PR9 | 13 Sqn | The aircraft was part of a formation flypast to mark the end of a detachment to Akrotiri, Cyprus. It turned to fly over the airfield but pitched down and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea three miles east of the base killing the three crew. It is considered that it flew through the wake of another aircraft and stalled | |
| 27/10/1972 | XK823 | Grasshopper TX1 | Air Cadets | Written off, no further details | |
| 01/11/1972 | WV381 | VL-732 | Hunter GA11 | ADS | Failed to become airborne on take off from Lee-On-Solent, Hants. It crashed through the perimeter fence and ran into the sea. Allocated to Culham Laboratory, Oxon |
| 17/11/1972 | XK142 | 522 | Hunter FGA9 | 229 OCU/SWF | Crashed into the English Channel off Lundy Island. The pilot ejected and was rescued |
| 21/11/1972 | XV477 | C | Phantom FGR2 | 6 Sqn | Encountered cloud en-route and during the attempt to climb clear the aircraft struck Scarrowmanwick Fell 1,800ft above sea level, nine miles east of Penrith, Cumbria. The crew did not attempt to eject and were both killed |
| 21/11/1972 | XX469 | Lynx HAS2 | WHL | The Naval tail shaft break joint disconnected causing loss of tail rotor thrust. It descended, yawing and struck the ground at Yeovil, Somerset and rolled onto its port side. The pilot and other occupant were both badly injured. This was the first version of the Lynx with a folding tail. Allocated to Westlands as A2657 | |
| 13/12/1972 | XP349 | Whirlwind HAR10 | 22 Sqn | Ditched into the Irish Sea off Holyhead, Anglesey after engine failure. Allocated to Valley fire dump | |
| 14/12/1972 | XM974 | 974 | Lightning T4 | 226 OCU | Crashed into the North Sea off Happisburgh, Norfolk after a reheat fire. The crew ejected |
