Abstract: The wire rope of a tower crane in a construction site suddenly fractured in the course of service. Causes for fracture of the wire rope were analyzed by methods of macro inspection, chemical composition analysis, metallographic examination, hardness test, scanning electron microscope fracture analysis. The results show that the surface lubricant and the phosphating film of zinc system of the inner layer steel wires were destroyed. The mechanical properties of the wire rope decreased severely under the effect of fretting wear and corrosion. The wire rope fractured once under the action of pulling force.