This paper presents a methodology for predicting stable crack growth and instability of a cracked body under monotonically increasing load. It is based on a model that incremental crack extensions and load increments after fracture initiation occur by turns in sequence and the criterion that the crack grows by an incremebt .delta.a when the opening displacement at the current crack tip increases by a critical value V$_{c}$. It is shown that the value I$_{c}$ = V$_{c}$/ .delta. a is a material constant characterizing ductile crack growth resistance. Along with the fracture initiation toughness value, the constant is used for the calculation of the loads against crack extensions by adding up each increment. The specimen failure is defined to occur when the necessary load increment for crack extension is zero or when the limit load in the current ligament is reached. The predicted failure loads are in good agreement with the avaliable experimental failure loads for the compact and center-cracked tension specimens of 7075-T651, 2024-T351 aluminum alloys and 304 stainless steel.steel.