Rick G was correct on what caused "I"s space vehicle to crash.

How it happen was that "I" was traveling outside the earths atmosphere. "I" was coming near the earths atmosphere with his deflector shield on. The deflector shield on his space vehicle is used to deflect objects away from his craft.
Now for "I" to enter the earths atmosphere there is a 20 second window where "I" needs to lower his deflector shield. 10 seconds prior to entry and remain lowered for 10 seconds after entry. Lowering his deflector shield prior to entry is for when his craft enters the earths atmosphere his craft will not bounce back in to outer space from hitting the earths atmosphere.

"I" lowered his deflector shield 10 second  prior to entry. 2 seconds after lowering his deflector shield a very minute piece of space junk hit and damaged his craft. The damage was not severe enough to disintrgrate his craft. I can not get into what was damaged as it is top secret stuff for obvious reasons. After entry into the atmosphere his deflector shield came back on and "I" was able to make a hard landing in the mountains.

"I" space vehicle is not powered by fuel as we know it. One thing "I"s craft does have is artifical gravity inside his craft. "I"s mother ship also has artifical gravity inside that craft. The gravity is only on the inside of the space craft and not on the outside.