DAVE, KRAIG - Depending on how tight the dip stick sealed when installed, meaning it could have taken a bit of pressure to finally blow it out, it may have just popped out and rattled around still in the tube for a while before finally bouncing out. It could have bounced against the cam gear quite a bit.
Another thing you could do, is send an oil sample in for analysis. I run OA on my PSD about every 10,000 miles, sample kit costs $15-$20 at my local Ford dealer, it's from FABCO in Green Bay. They test for ALL wear metals, silicon, antifreeze which you shouldn't have, diesel fuel or gasoline, probably 20 different things.
I bet an ag equip. or construction equip. dealer has them too.