The 7 Unbelievable Facts About Michel Lotito, The Man Who Ate An Entire Cessna Airplane

The story of Michel Lotito, a French entertainer known as "Monsieur Mangetout" (Mr. Eat-All), is one of the most bizarre and medically perplexing tales in human history. While the concept of a man eating an entire airplane sounds like an urban legend, it is a documented feat that earned him a place in the Guinness World Records. As of , the details of his incredible, decades-long diet of metal, glass, and rubber continue to baffle doctors and fascinate the public, proving that the human body is capable of truly astonishing, and often dangerous, adaptations.

This article dives deep into the life and unbelievable diet of the man who consumed a Cessna 150 aircraft, exploring the medical condition that allowed him to do it, the painstaking process of his most infamous meal, and the legacy of the world’s most famous consumer of indigestible objects.

Michel Lotito: Biography and Profile

• Full Name: Michel Dominique Lotito
• Nickname: Monsieur Mangetout (Mr. Eat-All)
• Born: June 16, 1950, in Villard-Bonnot, France
• Died: April 17, 2006 (aged 55), in Grenoble, France (Note: Some sources cite June 25, 2007, but April 2006 is the most common and cited date.)
• Occupation: French Entertainer and Performance Artist
• Claim to Fame: Consuming approximately 9 tons of metal over his lifetime, including a Cessna 150 airplane, bicycles, shopping carts, and a coffin.
• Medical Condition: Believed to have a combination of Pica (an eating disorder involving non-food items) and an unusually thick stomach lining.
• Guinness World Record: Held the record for the "Most Bizarre Diet."

The 7 Unbelievable Facts About Monsieur Mangetout's Extraordinary Diet

Michel Lotito’s diet was not a one-off stunt; it was a decades-long career. His ability to consume and pass objects that would kill an ordinary person is a medical anomaly. Here are the most compelling facts about his life and his incredible consumption of the Cessna 150 aircraft.

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1. The Diet Started with a Broken Glass at Age Nine

Lotito’s unusual eating habits began in childhood. According to reports, he first started consuming non-food items around the age of nine, beginning with a glass tumbler. This early fascination quickly escalated. By his teenage years, he was regularly eating metal and glass without any apparent adverse effects. He later turned this bizarre habit into a public performance career, earning him the moniker "Monsieur Mangetout." This early onset suggests his condition was not a sudden development but a deep-seated physiological and psychological anomaly.

2. The Airplane Was a Cessna 150 and Took Two Years to Consume

The centerpiece of Lotito's career was the consumption of an entire light aircraft. The plane was a Cessna 150, a two-seater aircraft known for its use in flight training. This monumental task was not completed in a single sitting. Lotito began the process in 1978 and finally finished the last piece in 1980. The aircraft was first broken down into manageable pieces using a hacksaw, hammer, and bolt cutters. He would then consume the metal, rubber, and plastic components one small piece at a time, often taking 900 grams (about 2 pounds) of metal per day.

3. He Used Water and Mineral Oil to Aid Digestion

Consuming metal and glass is incredibly abrasive and dangerous. To protect his throat and stomach, Lotito developed a specific technique. He would drink significant amounts of water and, crucially, mineral oil before and during his meals. The mineral oil acted as a lubricant, coating the sharp edges of the metal fragments and helping them pass through his digestive tract without causing perforation or severe internal bleeding. This strategic use of lubrication was key to his survival and success as an entertainer.

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4. Doctors Identified an Unusually Thick Stomach Lining

When gastroenterologists examined Lotito, they were astonished. They discovered that he possessed an unusually thick stomach lining, which they theorized provided a natural, protective barrier against the sharp and toxic materials he consumed. Furthermore, his digestive acids were apparently no stronger than those of an average person, but his stomach had an extraordinary ability to process and move the indigestible materials. This medical finding is the primary explanation for why Lotito could survive a diet that would be instantly fatal to anyone else. It's a rare biological adaptation, possibly linked to the psychological disorder of Pica.

5. Lotito’s Diet Included 18 Bicycles, 15 Shopping Carts, and 7 Televisions

The Cessna 150 was his most famous meal, but it was far from his only one. Over his career, Lotito consumed an astonishing array of non-food items. His extensive menu of indigestible objects included:

• 18 Bicycles
• 15 Shopping Carts
• 7 Televisions
• A Coffin (with handles)
• A Computer
• Various Chandeliers and Light Bulbs
• Numerous razor blades and chains

In total, it is estimated that he consumed nearly nine tons of metal between 1959 and 1997. This sheer volume of consumption solidifies his place as a true medical and performance marvel.

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6. He Preferred Indigestible Objects Over 'Normal' Food

Perhaps the strangest twist in Lotito's story is that he reportedly had digestive issues when eating soft, "normal" foods. While he could process razor blades and aircraft parts, eating a banana or a soft piece of bread could cause him discomfort. This suggests his digestive system had adapted so completely to his unusual diet that it struggled to cope with the standard human diet. This physiological reversal highlights the extreme nature of his adaptation to his Pica-driven lifestyle.

7. Michel Lotito Died of Natural Causes, Not His Diet

Given his decades-long consumption of metal and glass, many assume that his diet eventually killed him. However, Michel Lotito died in 2006 (or 2007, depending on the source) at the age of 55, and the cause of death was reported as natural causes. He did not die from internal perforation or metal poisoning, which is a testament to the protective capabilities of his thick stomach lining and his careful consumption methods. His death marked the end of a career that remains unparalleled in the history of human endurance and peculiar performance art, leaving behind a legacy of disbelief and fascination.

The Legacy of Monsieur Mangetout and Pica Syndrome

Michel Lotito's life serves as the most extreme documented case of Pica syndrome, an eating disorder characterized by an appetite for non-nutritive substances. While Pica is often linked to nutritional deficiencies (such as iron deficiency) or developmental disorders, Lotito's case was unique due to his physical ability to process the items.

His story transcends mere entertainment; it offers a rare glimpse into the limits of human physiology. The sheer volume of dangerous materials he consumed—from the large surface area of the Cessna 150 to the sharp edges of razor blades—makes his digestive system a subject of intense curiosity among gastroenterologists. Lotito’s ability to survive and thrive on a diet of indigestible objects, protected by his thick stomach lining and the lubricating effects of mineral oil, cemented his status in the Guinness World Records and in medical history. He remains the ultimate example of a performer who literally ate his way to fame, proving that sometimes, the most unbelievable stories are absolutely true.

The "Man Who Ate a Plane" is a title that will forever belong to Michel Lotito, a man whose life was a continuous performance of the impossible, challenging every known rule of human digestion and survival.