wrote:

I remember a recent discussion with a pilot mate where I was mentioning
how illogical a crash-shortly-after-takeoff is, given that beyond V1
takeoff can safely be continued even with just one good engine. I'd
even told him that if I saw an aircraft airborne following takeoff, I'd
presume it safe.

I can think of lots of things that can go wrong, but still allow an
aircraft to get a mile from a runway. Some aren't very likely, but have
happened in the past:

- Bird strike
- Control surface failure
- Loss of control
- Ice on the wings (not this time of year, of course)
- Overloading
- Structural failure