Aircraft coming apart

[Rally]

How often does this happen when a pilot DOES NOT exceed limitations? This ever worry anyone? Anybody ever have a partial structural failure? (obviously not a full one 'cause your still here). What is likely to come off of a aircraft first from a design standpoint?

 

[mcjohn]

That sea plane in S. Fl. came apart and was still climbing out I think. My guess on what would come off an aircraft first would be a wing or a prop blade ripping the wing off or something off. I've heard of bird strikes making a plane unflyable.

 

[9GClub]

I think in-flight structural failure is pretty rare, isn't it? I can understand how stuff like that happens in old aircraft (i.e. tankers-- metal fatigue) and amphibians/seaplanes (corrosion), but you're probably more likely to have a cable fray apart or an engine quit. Or an elevator jam due to a coin/flashlight etc. getting stuck in the works. Cracks leading to thrown props aren't much fun either, at least from what I've been told.