I can't help but see those two accidents as completely different. I wasn't suggesting that an uncontained engine explosion is no big deal, but that there is vas

I can't help but see those two accidents as completely different. I wasn't suggesting that an uncontained engine explosion is no big deal, but that there is vastly less danger to critical flight controls and therefore vastly less danger to passengers. Let's compare: Qantas 32 lost throttle on one engine, lost one engine completely (obviously), flaps, and ABS. United 232 lost its tail engine, elevator, rudder, aileron, flaps, and had no ABS to begin with. Qantas 32 was able to maintain a holding pattern for an hour while diagnosing the aircraft, and was given enough time to calmly calculate a glide path and put the airplane down safely. United 232 landed at twice the safe speed, with 6x the safe sink rate, on its wing. Qantas 32 had 0 fatalities or injuries, United 232 had 111 fatalities and 172 injuries.