Brittle failure may also be known as brittle fracture. A cast metal hammer (meat tenderiser) with a head (top) broken off is an example of brittle failure. The material breaks suddenly instead of deforming or straining under load. The fracturing or breaking can occur with only a small amount of load, impact force or shock. Brittle materials absorb less energy before breaking or fracturing, despite the materials having a high strength. In the early days of jet aviation this proved a fatal problem with airlines breaking up in mid-air without warning. This fracture is also said to be transgranular because the crack propagates through grains. Thus it has a grainy or faceted texture.