The Comet Jet Crashes (1954)
The 1954 crashes of the de Havilland Comet, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, were a major setback in aviation history. Several Comet aircraft broke apart in flight, killing all aboard. Investigators eventually determined that the aircraft suffered from metal fatique caused by repeated pressurization and depressurization cycles.
Common Sense Failures
1. Insufficient Understanding of Long-Term Stress
* Engineers knew pressurized cabins were a new challenge, but the long-term effects of repeated stress on the aircraft structure were not fully appreciated.
2. Inadequate Testing
* Early testing did not realistically simulate the many thousands of pressurization cycles the aircraft would experience during years of service.
3. Overconfidence in New Technology
* The excitement surrounding the world’s first jet airliner contributed to confidence that exceeded the available evidence about long-term structural reliability.
4. Failure to Recognize Warning Signs
* Earlier incidents and structural concerns did not immediately lead to a comprehensive grounding and redesign effort.
5. Design Vulnerabilities
* Square-shaped windows and certain structural features created stress concentrations that increased the likelihood of fatigue cracks, a risk that was not fully understood during the design process.
Lessons Learned
The Comet disasters led to groundbreaking advances in aircraft engineering, including full-scale fatigue testing, improved structural analysis, and the adoption of rounded windows in pressurized aircraft. The tragedy demonstrated a fundamental common-sense principle:
When introcducing revolutionary technology, assumptions must be tested under real world conditions before widespread deployment.
The Comet crashes ultimately made commercial aviation safer by forcing the industry to better understand metal fatigue and structural integrity in high-altitude jet aircraft.
NO COMMON SENSE
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* Which supports and barriers were in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or what, won the Tug-of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your friends and family.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the relationships and dynamics between supports and barriers.
