Meaning of tombstone engineering | Babel Free

Definitions

The practice of letting accidents or failures (perhaps occasioning death, but not necessarily) identify engineering problems.

slang, uncountable

Examples

““As pilots in the USAF, we used the term ‘Tombstone Engineering’ to describe a known potential catastrophic flight event that could have been avoided through additional design and funding, but ended in the death of pilots and/or aircrews, thus forcing that design change/aircraft modification. Emergency procedures, especially the warnings, in our flight manuals are literally written in blood…,” Coffindaffer said.”

CEFR level