Case 1: Failure of a Throttle End Fitting in an Aircraft

An aircraft was heavily damaged when it was forced to land due to a throttle malfunction. Investigators determined that one of the studs linking the throttle to the engine fractured from fatigue, initiated by cracks formed during a riveting procedure. This chapter provides a summary of the investigation, which included the use of scanning electron fractography, along with recommendations on acceptable hole patterns for rivets.