Aircraft engine falls off truck, causes severe delays in Arncliffe

A seven-tonne aircraft engine has fallen off a trailer in Sydney's south, causing major traffic delays.

Emergency services were called to Arncliffe around 9:30am on Tuesday, where an aircraft engine had fallen from the side of a heavy-vehicle trailer and onto the road.

Police say the driver allegedly used restraints for a 900kg load when the engine weighed more than seven times the amount.

The road was blocked for two hours while the machine was salvaged with the help of a passing crane.

"Incident such as these can lead to serious crashes and it's lucky other motorists weren't injured or even killed," Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said.

The 51-year-old driver was charged and is due to appear at Sutherland Local Court in November.