Node A6 · Acronym decoder
FTA
Fault Tree Analysis
What it actually means
A top-down analysis starting from an undesired event — loss of vehicle, inadvertent release — and working backwards through the logic of what combinations of component failures and conditions could cause it. The complement of FMEA's bottom-up view; quantified fault trees also give the probability math behind safety and risk numbers.
Where you'll meet it
System safety analyses, accident investigations, and probabilistic risk assessments.