The "nth degree" reveals itself, not when you are looking for it, but only when the circumstances that trigger it, co-join to announce its presence.
Whether its resonance, cavitation, 'ice-making' through unforeseen expansion, or fire due to faulty seals / fractured lube oil lines, its the critical "nth degree" that conspires to trap even the most savvy. Simply design to prevent it. Yep, but you have to appreciate what those conditions might be, before you can even start thinking of a programmable routine that will identify a problem.
So, ultimately there will always be a "nth degree" lurking to bite you in the b
m when least suspected.
In the case of QF32, from the moment that climb thrust was set, an abnormal "trend" was apparent in the monitored conditions of No.2 when compared with the averaged data monitored from the remaining three engines. A simple comparison routine would have revealed a potential "nth degree" was developing at least a minute before the proverbial hit the fan.