This paper addresses the fatigue fracture phenomenon of countersunk rivets installed on the air intake flange under vibration loads， analyzes the failure cause from the perspective of riveting residual stress. Based on the finite element method （FEM）， simulations of the rivets’ random vibration process and riveting process are conducted to obtain the rivet’s vibration equivalent stress and riveting residual stress. The Dirlik method is adopted to calculate the vibration fatigue life of the rivets， and a vibrational fatigue test is designed to verify the simulation results. The research indicates that riveting residual stress is a key factor leading to the degradation of vibrational fatigue life； therefore， the influence of residual stress must be considered in fatigue life prediction. The research conclusions can provide a reference for the life prediction and optimal design of aviation riveted structures.