FAA: Falling Metal Did Not Come From Airplane

[Brinty]

A similar thing happened to me back in the late 1960s. Only I know where the hot metal came from. We had an old car that was on its last legs. My wife had our good car and I was home on holiday and needed to get a part for the motor mower. I hopped in the old car and headed for the mower shop but I hadn't gone more that five miles when there was a loud rattling sound that built to a crescendo then there was a BANG and the car slowly spluttered to a stop.

A young kid by the roadside yelled, "Hey mister, this fell out of your car," he rushed back down the road and picked something up and said,"SHlT IT'S HOT!"

A piston had parted company with the crankshaft and had succeeded in getting out of the motor through the side of the block. What the kid had picked up was part of the cast iron block. I didn't bother looking for the piston.