Aircraft Accidents

Paper Summary:

This paper firstly discusses the most important component that fails in a reciprocating engine, the human component. It investigates an accident of a big aircraft, Lockheed Super Constellation, in order to qualify this opinion. The paper then examines the Cessna as an example of engine problems as a cause of aircraft accidents. The author stresses that it is the pilot error that causes 95 percent of the accidents for reciprocating engine aircraft.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Analysis
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"Now let us look at the causes of accidents from an engine point of view. Both turbine engines and reciprocating engines process air in the same manner and that means that they both have intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. In the reciprocating engine one step has to follow the other and in the turbine engine all the processes proceed all at the same time and without any interruption. The other difference is that in the turbine engine there are separate components decided for the particular operation of the cycle, while in the reciprocating engine, all the functions take place in the same combustion chamber. The design of each engine gives certain benefits and advantages, and when the issue is considered from thermal efficiency, reciprocating engines are easily more efficient. They have a complex design, but the engine has had a longer period to be developed and perfected. The general view is that turbine engines have simplicity of motion and this has given a reputation for being more reliable, though it burns more fuel than a reciprocating engine."

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