Structures exposed to aerodynamic forces — including wings and aerofoils , but also chimneys and bridges — are designed carefully within known parameters to avoid flutter . In complex structures where both the aerodynamics and the mechanical properties of the structure are not fully understood , flutter can be discounted only through detailed testing . Even changing the mass distribution of an aircraft or the stiffness of one component can induce flutter in an apparently unrelated aerodynamic component . At its mildest this can appear as a " buzz " in the aircraft structure , but at its most violent it can develop uncontrollably with great speed and cause serious damage to or lead to the destruction of the aircraft , as in Braniff Flight 542 , or the prototypes for the VL Myrsky fighter aircraft . Famously , the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge was destroyed as a result of aeroelastic fluttering
Braniff Flight 542
Braniff Flight 542
Aeroelasticity