An aeroplane narrowly missed a person, a hangar, power cables and a farm building during a take-off in St Albans.
The incident took place on January 30 this year at Plaistows Farm Airfield.
The plane "suddenly veered" to the right before climbing slowly into the air.
As the vehicle reached approximately 100ft, it's engine stopped and the aircraft "struck the ground".
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The plane's pilot suffered back injuries as a result.
An investigation conducted by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) described the condition of the aircraft as "poor" with no evidence of regular maintenance.
An investigation report published today (Thursday, November 10) stated: "The pilot suffered back injuries and reported that he had been unable to control the aircraft due to a control restriction.
"No evidence of a control restriction was found, and it is considered that flight just above the stall speed, resulting in a poor response from the flying control surfaces, was the probable cause of the control issues experienced by the pilot.
"The engine stopped due to overheating of the rear cylinder, but no cause could be found for this."
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