RE: Running without prop
While most sport engines generally stop with a prop strike, racing engines usually continue to run. If shut off quickly, the damage is limited to a overstressed rod. But allowed to run, the much higher rpm beats the bushings out of the lower end of the rod and feeds the metal through the top end of the engine. This results in the engine stopping very quickly and the rotational energy being absorbed by the case. A grenade is good description.