I see your parading raining, and counter with ‘fantasy game’!!!
Seriously though, although I completely understand not wanting to go completely against the laws of physics or get too wacky (as I feel that is definitely when most games start breaking dowN) any number of situations could arise where it hits more intact and violently. Perhaps it has re-entry jets which stop working mid way through return? (it could have been automatically recalled, but without anyone to guide it in it all went horribly wrong).