I encourage you to read nevil shute (norway)'s book, "Slide Rule". While he was involved with dirigibles ( and his was the first to fly from England to Canada) his expertise also includes designing the first retractable gear aircraft in England.
As anyone who knows anything about metal fatigue the first transportation accident due to metal fatigue was in 1842.
Stress and fatigue are kissing cousins for the purpose of this discussion.
You noted that the DC10 crashed for one reason and don't seem to think that the MALLARD could( i say again could, no proof) have crashed because someone backed a forklift into its wing during changeover to turboprop engine.
I see that you have a commercial single engine land certificate.
Good for you. I see you are an engineer. (B&O?) but I digress.
Why did I mention Nevil Shute's great work? so that people who aren't engineers or pilots might get a laypersons appreciation for what happened east of Miami.
If you would like to argue finer points of aviation, you have my e mail address.
I'd like to point out that just a few weeks prior to the Three Mile Island meltdown or near Melt Down a little movie came out called, "The China Syndrome".
Sometimes people who can't prove something still want to shout a warning so that someone might be alert. A book or a film can sometimes do just that.
Nevil Shute did that with "No Highway" and subsequent movie. He also warned us of the terrible consequences of Nuclear War in "On the Beach".
One quote might even help everyone on this forum out:
"airplanes do not crash in and of themselves, perhaps one crash in a thousand is truly an act of God, instead they crash because men are irresolute, careless or reckless" (from "Slide Rule).
so barit1, post what you like. I don't think too highly of what you have said so far.
Oh and I see Bearcat fighters all the time here in Reno at the air races! And they were just coming into use as the bomb was dropped on H and N.
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