In the military Survivorship bias

the damaged portions of returning planes show locations can take hit , still return home safely; hit in other places not survive. (image shows hypothetical data.)

during world war ii, statistician abraham wald took survivorship bias calculations when considering how minimize bomber losses enemy fire. researchers center naval analyses had conducted study of damage done aircraft had returned missions, , had recommended armor added areas showed damage. wald noted study considered aircraft had survived missions—the bombers had been shot down not present damage assessment. holes in returning aircraft, then, represented areas bomber take damage , still return home safely. wald proposed navy instead reinforce areas returning aircraft unscathed, since areas that, if hit, cause plane lost. work considered seminal in then-fledgling discipline of operational research.