The process of examining a failure, following gathered evidence, and pinpointing a probable cause is called ________.

• A. Root cause analysis
• B. Failure analysis
• C. Cause and analysis
• D. Fault tracing

Answer: (C)

Identifying the underlying reason a failure happened by examining evidence and tracing symptoms to their source is root cause analysis. This approach aims to uncover the fundamental cause that, if addressed, will prevent recurrence, not just describe what failed. In practice, it means collecting data on the failure, mapping how different factors contributed, testing hypotheses about possible causes, and implementing corrective actions that address the true driver of the problem. This differs from failure analysis, which describes how a failure occurred without necessarily focusing on preventing future occurrences, and from terms that aren’t standard in maintenance practice.