Hi Thomas
All cargo on commercial flights, including C-130s, is restrained with a minimum of a 9G restraint though nowadays probably 99% of aircraft have 16G restraint. That even applies to the later cargo conversions of the venerable DC-3. Grandfathering laws keep unmodified DC-3 and C-46 and similar aircraft at 9G unless they have a Supplemental Type Certificate which usually requites a 16G restraint system to pass muster.
16G means if the ULD weighs one tonne the container is locked to the floor with locks that will not fail if you shock load them to 16 tonnes, Likewise the floor structure will not fail with that shock load. The crew and passengers will die at a far lower load factor but the cargo will hot injure them any more than the initial crash.
Military standards are not that different.
This is usually done by loading the smaller items into a ULD and that ULD is restrained inside the aircraft by floor track fittings rated at 16G for the
maximum weight that the particular ULD can carry. Otherwise floor tiedowns and Brownline or equivalent restraint straps or nets. Larger items go on pallets and are strapped or netted down.
As an aside to give you an idea of the suction of a modern jet engine - this is what happens to a lightly loaded ULD (3 tonnes) when when a baggage cart driver drives too close to a running jet engine.
A six pound item left loose in a light aircraft luggage locker is unlikely to have enough energy to smash the door open even during severe maneuvering or turbulence although there are occasional accidents caused by light aircraft private pilots dumping a heavy item on the floor of the cabin or luggage locker and stupidly thinking that it does not need any restraint. I have had to clean up the result of a CESSNA C310 with a 600lb drill head that was chocked but not restrained when the aircraft landed with the nose gear retracted. Not pretty and that was probably only a 2G deceleration.
This is why I strongly suspect that item was deliberately dropped out a window. Most single engine Cessna and other high wing aircraft windows are more than large enough to drop such an item out. Less so with most Pipers as the item will bounce off the lower wing and possibly cause damage to the wing but there are still many aircraft out there with big windows and high wings. Some also have camera and other hatches in the floor which expands the possible suspects. Many helicopters are approved to operate with doors removed which expands the list of potential culprits.
Given the probable target I am forced to remember the old truism that the only person to ever go into parliament with honest intentions was Guy Fawkes and we all know what happened to him.
