While carrying out pre departure checks on a BO 105 the number one engine chip light came on. Within ten minutes the duty engineer had the chip in front of me with a quarter inch ball bearing sat on it.
With the engine in a stand an attempt to rotate the engine caused another ball bearing to exit the chip plug location and head across the hangar.
With the compressor removed one of the main gears could be seen to have a half ball bearing sized hole in a tooth.
This engine had seconds to live and so might you if you do not give chip lights the respect they deserve.