Katy Perry Violently Jolted Mid-Air by Malfunctioning Butterfly Prop at 'Lifetimes' Tour

Katy Perry nearly roared all the way to the floor Friday night after her butterfly prop flying her over the crowd at her San Francisco "Lifetimes" show malfunctioned and violently swung to one side.

Check out the scary clip ... the popstar is confidently belting out her hit "Roar" when the machine jolts to the side, sending her into a brief plunge.

She hung on tight and made it through the terrifying mishap ... seemingly taking a deep breath and checking the cables holding up the larger-than-life butterfly. She signaled to her fans that she was a-okay and continued on with the show.

Hey -- at least she's got some hard evidence that she's singing through her energy-filled concerts!

Katy referenced the incident on her Instagram Story after she wrapped up the show, posting a close-up of her shocked face as she experienced the unexpected drop and adding a "Goodnight San Fran" graphic.

Seems like KP took it like the champ -- and it's not the first time she's had a close call during her world tour.

Last month while in Australia, the metal ball meant to lift her above the crowd suddenly jolted to the side, forcing her to cling on for dear life. She made it through that frightening mishap as well ... but not without some serious effort to stay within the sphere.

And, as we reported, she's not the only artist to suffer such a scare -- the red car flying high above the crowd at Beyoncé's Houston show last month suddenly tilted to the side, nearly ejecting the singer into her devoted fans below. Her company later confirmed it was a "technical mishap."