Henry Petroski has written several excellent essays and books about engineering failures, why it is inherent in engineering pursuits that there will be failures, why it is important to learn the right lessons from these failures, and why each new generation will forget past lessons.
Start with: "To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design" (1985)
Start with: "To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design" (1985)