Governing parameters for determination of the location of crack initiation and direction of crack initiation were investigated by performing fretting fatigue tests and analysis on Al 2024-T351. Fatigue tests were carried out using biaxial fatigue machine. It was shown that the dominant fatigue crack tended to initiate at the outer edge of one of the four bridge pads, growing at an angle beneath a pad, before turning perpendicular to the orientation of the axial load. Distribution of stresses generated during fretting fatigue loading along the interface was calculated by elastic FE simulation. It can be known that the location of crack initiation can be predicted by using the maximum tangential stress range. Futhermore, the crack initiation direction can also be predicted by a maximum tangential stress range.