ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES FOR AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS USING METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

IT IS PROPOSED THAT DATA BE COLLECTED TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF ADAPTING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES TO AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. SOME OF THE CANDIDATE TECHNIQUES INCLUDE: FILAMENT DEFORMATION AND FRACTURE IN FILAMENT LAMPS DUE TO IMPACT; DEMAGNETIZATION OF PERMANENT MAGNET MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO POST-ACCIDENT FIRE AND SHOCK; AND ANALYSIS OF CONDUCTOR ARCING TO DETERMINE CONDUCTION STATE AT THE TIME OF ARC DAMAGE. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ON THE METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PROPERTIES OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC MATERIALS. A MAJOR GOAL IS TO DEVELOP TECHNIQUES THAT CAN IDENTIFY PRE-ACCIDENT CONDITIONS OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DESPITE SEVERE POST-ACCIDENT DAMAGE.