You would have to be remarkably unknowledgeable about aviation to
think neither the ground crew nor the flight crew didn't do a thorough
ground runup prior to takeoff. Unfortunately a ground check is no
insurance against problems in the air. I lost two good friends in an
F104B when an eighth stage compressor blade failed at about 20000
during climb out while bringing the aircraft back from major overhaul
at McClellan AFB (MAAMA). They were over Sacramento above an overcast
and decided to try to land rather than eject over the city. The cloud
bottoms were about 8000 AGL. The aircraft, still heavy with fuel,
impacted in the approach end overrun making a hole about three feet
deep. Two posthumous DFCs. There are no guarantees in aviation. Now
four Russian familes have lost their men.
Walt BJ