From New York Newsday: "Pam Hearne of Floral Park said she heard a "thunk" outside her home shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday, but she thought it was the usual morning ruckus caused by neighbors loading heavy stuff onto trucks."

But it was actually the leg of a stowaway, falling from the wheel well of a plane inbound to nearby JFK airport in Queens. And while this is a truly sad and horrific story, it also should scare the heck out of anyone living in the approach pattern of a major airport.

Someone, presumably unauthorized, managed to climb onto and conceal themselves inside a commercial jet. While there wasn't quite enough space there for a live human, there would plenty for, oh, a few kilos of plastique or a home-made dispersal device full of nasty bugs designed to crop dust Floral Park.

It's a good thing the TSA checks people's shoes. Sure makes me feel safer...