FAA AMT Airframe Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Exam Prep Guide

Compression failures in wood aircraft structures are characterized by the buckling of fibers at right angles to the grain. This occurs when pressure or force is applied perpendicular to the grain of the wood, causing the fibers to collapse and buckle. This is why option A, cracking along the grain, is incorrect. Similarly, option C, splintering of wood in a parallel direction to the grain, is also incorrect because it describes a tensile failure rather than a compression failure. Option D, complete detachment of the part from the structure, is also incorrect as it describes a failure mode that is not specific to compression.