A NASA WB-57F research aircraft made a belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston after a mechanical problem prevented deployment of the landing gear.
Footage published by a local television station shows the plane skidding along the runway, spewing sparks and smoke, as emergency services helped the pilot safely exit the jet. According to NASA, everyone on board is unharmed.
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The incident led to the temporary closure of runway 17R–35L while crews worked to remove the aircraft. NASA confirmed that a thorough investigation will be opened to determine the cause of the failure, while the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also stated that it will conduct its own investigation. Two people were on board at the time of the emergency landing.
The WB-57F aircraft are rare and strategically important platforms operated from the Johnson Space Center, also in Houston. They can fly at altitudes of up to around 19,000 meters and carry scientific sensors in modular compartments in the fuselage, in the nose and under the wings. Although they may resemble the US Air Force’s U-2, they perform different and complementary tasks, along with the ER-2 aircraft also operated by NASA.
The WB-57F aircraft were originally developed during the Cold War for high-altitude reconnaissance missions, but today play important roles in scientific research, military testing and even airborne documentation of space launches. Due to the extremely limited number of these aircraft — only three are currently in operational service — it is currently unclear what consequences the incident will have on the future availability of the fleet.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: X @BNONews | This content has been created with the help of KI and reviewed by the editors
BREAKING | Video shows a NASA plane making a belly landing at Ellington Airport. Here’s what we know right now.
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) January 27, 2026
