Paper 31: Major Causes of Failure—Civil Aircraft Structure

Abstract

This paper deals with failures of structural components of civil aircraft which have resulted in fatal accidents or serious incidents during the past twenty years. Fatigue failure of components has been the most significant contribution to the major structural failures of civil aircraft. As a result, the attack on the fatigue problem has had the greatest effect on changes in structural design concepts, substantiating tests and operational maintenance and inspection procedures. Today, with the ‘fail safe’ concept of structural design, combined with complete airframe fatigue testing, a very great advance has been made towards ensuring the safety standard of civil aircraft structures.