A Federal court jury found Martin J. McNally guilty of air piracy in the hijacking of an American Airlines 727 jetliner. McNally, an ex-Navy mechanic and gas station attendant, demanded $500,000, which was paid then later recovered in an Indiana farm field.

Apparently when he jumped from the jet plane in flight over Peru, Indiana, the shock of the air caused McNally to drop both his machine gun and all of the $500,000 in cash!

This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.

Photo credit: Wenhao Ryan, Unsplash