Miller

A Historical Case in Aircraft Accident InvestigationThe Comet Accident Investigation: 

A Historical Case in Aircraft Accident Investigation The Comet Accident Investigation The Comet Crashes 1953-1954

The History of the Comet: 

The History of the Comet 1942 Mail Carrier,1944 passenger First commercial jet and puts British ahead/also considered a national priority and asset First hydraulic/redux bonding used Altitude records/airspeed records First commercial carrier to be pressurized Many orders before finished

Initial incidents and accidents as an operational carrying aircraft before the Elba crash: 

Initial incidents and accidents as an operational carrying aircraft before the Elba crash Oct/52-Crashed on takeoff/wx Jan/53-Undershot runway/1killed/wx Mar/53-Crashed on takeoff/11killed/pilot error May/53/broke up in flight in India/wx 43 dead/wreckage evidence stolen Overshot runway at Dakar Jan/54/broke up near Elba

The crash near Elba, Jan 10, 1954: 

The crash near Elba, Jan 10, 1954 Midair breakup at 27,000 feet/tail section still intact/29 dead Eye witness accounts:fisherman,hunter,truck driver,photographer on other flight,pilots on other flight Yoke Yoke had the most flight hours Clear/ air turbulence at break up sight Comet is becoming unpopular Possibility of sabotage

Investigative techniques from Elba/YP : 

Investigative techniques from Elba/YP Decompression/explosion-pathology Recovery-underwater tv cameras/asdic Metal fatigue-pressurized model in pool Recovery-security Witnesses-evidence-photograph that led to wreckage trail Reflights in other comets to similate cond Built wooden models to interpret wreckage trail Techniques on found parts were advanced Review of final radio transmissions Better design Complete aircraft reconstruction

The crash of Yoke Yoke: 

The crash of Yoke Yoke Metal fatigue Similar pathological evidence of inflight breakup at altitude Similar altitude/possibility of terrorism Aircraft encountered severe turbulence

Further techniques after Yoke Yoke: 

Further techniques after Yoke Yoke Highspeed photography Fatigue life of metals evolves as a science Non destructive testing Loading and test stress standards improved and new methods of design and destruction

Solutions to the Problem: 

Solutions to the Problem Redesign of windows and adf cutouts Manufacturing process improved/ rivots improved Grounding of aircraft worldwide Linking accidents and incidents together

Conclusions about the Comet Accident Investigation: 

Conclusions about the Comet Accident Investigation Preserve scene and evidence(security) Professional accident investigate techniques developed Started a trend toward finding causal factors vice pointing blame Discoveries advanced the design and safety of high altitude commercial jet aircraft with pressurized hulls