[en] A simple model for predicting the initiation of crack growth during plastic fracture is evaluated. The model is based on requiring equilibrium between applied loads and an assumed stress distribution in the uncracked ligament near the crack. The fracture parameters required are the material's ultimate tensile strength and a process-zone size at the crack tip that is determined from simple fracture tests. The Crack Plane Equilibrium model predicts crack-growth initiation for the crack geometries studied with sufficient accuracy to warrant extending it for investigating other geometries and for predicting stable crack growth and the onset of unstable crack growth