In June 2017, an 80-year-old woman at Shanghai Pudong Airport became the center of an unforgettable and chaotic moment, all thanks to a simple act of superstition. As she and her family prepared to board a China Southern Airlines flight to Guangzhou, the woman paused by the plane to make a wish for a safe journey. Believing that tossing coins into the jet engine would bring her blessings and protection, she tossed nine coins toward the aircraft.

While most people would see this as a harmless tradition, only one of the coins actually made its way into the engine — but that was enough to set off a chain of events that led to a five-hour delay. The crew, realizing that the coins posed a potential safety risk, immediately triggered a full safety inspection and ordered the evacuation of all 150 passengers aboard. The flight was delayed for hours as engineers thoroughly checked the aircraft for damage, making sure no debris was lodged in the engine.

Authorities later discovered that the woman was a devout Buddhist who genuinely believed that this act of throwing coins would protect the flight and ensure a safe journey. It wasn’t an act of mischief; rather, it was a deeply-held belief in the power of ritual and good luck.

This incident serves as a fascinating reminder of how ancient superstitions sometimes collide with modern technology in the most unexpected ways. While safety measures and technology are designed to ensure the smooth operation of our daily lives, there are moments when human tradition and belief take center stage — sometimes with surprising consequences.