This is a slightly modified version of the incident that won the 1995 Darwin
Award.  It was later determined to be a hoax.  Check out
http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/index_darwin1995.html

Mike Snow

>
> There was a memo put out the employees at the General Dynamics plant in
> Grand Prairie Texas about two years ago, I'm going to try to repeat as
> best I remember what the memo said.
>
> Recently the authorities discovered a large grey stain on a rock face of
> ,,, Mountain rock face. After further investigation it was discovered
> that the stain was comprised of a 64 Chevrolet and the remaining parts of
> the same vehicle.
> Upon further investigation the authorities discovered that the owner of
> the vehicle had recently attended a US Air force auction and purchased a
> surplus JATO cartridge. His friends said the man that purchased the JATO
> cartridge spent several weeks modifying the 64 Chevrolet to mount the
> JATO cartridge as a means of propelling the car to around 200 miles an
> hour.
> Air force officials speculated that the Chevrolet weighed approximately
> 3500 pounds and the JATO cartridge provide boost in excess of 50,000
> pounds. They further predicted that the Chevrolet became fully
> uncontrolled at approximately 140 miles per hour and shortly afterwards
> at about 235 miles per hour became fully airborne and crashed into the
> 800 foot rock face at the 500 foot altitude causing the grey stain on the
> rocks.
> Skid marks on the highway indicate that the vehicles driver tried to gain
> control and reduce his speed repeatedly approximately five miles from the
> impact point. It is estimated based on the thrust produced that the
> vehicle was traveling in excess of 1000 miles per hour at the point of
> impact on the rock face.
> The vehicle owner or any remains of his body have never been found and it
> has rained recently in the area causing the grey stain to rust and blend
> in with the colors of the natural stone color of the rock face.
> The wife of the deceased driver of the 64 Chevrolet said that her husband
> had purchased two of the JATO capsules and the remaining cartridge had
> been stolen from his barn.
> If any person currently working for this facility has any information on
> the location or the whereabouts of the missing JATO cartridge, please
> come forward or drop a note in any of the suggestion boxes so we can
> recover the JATO before another unfortunate accident occurs.
>
> Now that is supposed to be a true story.
>
> Stan Wilder