Mercury has a similar devastating effect on gold - works its way through the grain boundaries and makes it brittle.
When I were a young lab assistant, I used to be the favourite of young married girls who came to me in tears because they had got mercury on their wedding or engagement ring.
Caught in time, a quick burst of a bunsen burner gets the ring up to 296 degrees and removes the mercury. I'm not sure it would work with a whole aeroplane though.