blocks don't de-spawn after being broken

pillaring glitch
I just ran into this glitch while pillaring down. It also happens when trying to break blocks above your self. The block will break a few times and then finally fall.

But I got stuck and can't get out of the loop unless I leave and re-renter the world.  You then fall from where ever you were on the pillar.

 

I had no problems in caves or in the world in general breaking blocks just when making a pillar straight up.