The database system is in recovery mode

Hello,

We just crashed a live server with a load tester. PostgreSQL tells -

-bash-2.05b$ psql
psql: FATAL 1:  The database system is in recovery mode

We searched the documentation and the mailing lists, but we could not find
any instructions what to do in this case.

Shall we wait? Is a restart going to corrupt the data? Any specific
instrictions? We have a back up done several hours ago - shall we simply use
it?

And - why did it happen at all?

Thanks,

Iavor