"If it had, the pilot told us, the aircraft would not have been able to sustain itself."
Better get the CAA to remove the aircraft from Perf A!
Sounds like a most frightful experience, with only the superhuman efforts of the pilot wrestling with the controls narrowly avoiding disaster.
Apparently, if the aircraft had got airborne, it would have passed over several schools and hospitals on its' planned route! WHEW!!!
PS (nice abort!)