A motorcyclist was injured after a plane had to drop its banner to avoid crashing into a crowded Houston baseball field, officials say.

The incident began about 3:45 p.m. Saturday when the plane started to make its descent above the Diez Baseball Fields, KHOU-TV, Houston, reported.

The plane's engine sputtered and umpires directed people away from the field in case the plane had to make an emergency landing.

The pilot cut loose an advertisement banner the plane was pulling, which helped it to regain altitude.

However, the banner blew half a mile away and into the face of a motorcyclist, who was rushed to a hospital. The cyclist's condition was not reported.

No one on the ball field was injured.