In this paper analysis of short cracks observed on surfaces of specimens subjected to axial, torsional, synchronous in-phase and out-of-phase as well as a number of asynchronous loadings was performed. The tests were conducted on PA38-T6 aluminum alloy, E235 non-alloy steel and 1.4301 austenitic stainless steel thin-walled specimens, in strain-control mode. It was concluded that for PA38-T6 aluminum alloy and E235 steel, fatigue cracks initiated and propagated on the plane of maximum shear strain, regardless of the loading case. Fatigue cracks observed on the surface of 1.4301 steel specimens developed predominantly on the levels of maximum normal strain. For this material, the surface condition resulting from the machining had a significant impact on the cracks growth. In the case of non-proportional loadings, at high levels of strain, cracks often propagated along the machining marks.