system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Halo: Combat Evolved] Why was the banshee that Master Chief stole from Truth and Reconciliation so heavily damaged?

The one he crashed on his return trip to the Pillar of Autumn to destroy the installation. It looked fine when he took off and it was falling apart when he "landed"
gpt
The Covenant were firing at the Chief as he fled the Truth and Reconciliation. Banshees in Combat Evolved are the least durable of vehicles and start smoking when you fire a dousen Assault Rifle rounds into them.

Also the Chief wasn't doing his utmost best in regards to piloting the thing as a way to get back at Cortana for teleporting him upside down.