An autopilot software bug causes a sudden and extreme g-excess on beginning a descent to Vandenberg AFB, badly damaging the port-side wing of an XR2 Ravenstar class vehicle. The port aileron is completely ripped away. RCS bursts are needed to augment the surviving control surfaces.
A little differential thrust is needed on the final descent to the runway, alongside some tweaking with the ship's variable centre of mass system.
After a surprisingly soft landing (4 m/s vertical speed), rollout is completed safely.
The Shuttle Carrier 747 is called to retrieve the ravaged spaceplane and bring it back to Edwards AFB for complete repair.
Arrival at Edwards AFB. While skilled engineers work on the physical damage, software engineers will be working flat out to kill the offending bug in the autopilot code.