A Nasa aircraft made an emergency landing at Ellington Airport after a landing-gear failure, sliding along the runway amid flames and smoke. The WB-57 research jet stopped safely, with both crew members unharmed, the space agency said.
A Nasa aircraft made an emergency belly landing at a Texas airport after a mechanical malfunction prevented its landing gear from deploying on Tuesday. Videos are being shared across social media, showing the plane skidding through smoke and flames as it attempted to land safely.
The aircraft landed at Ellington Airport southeast of Houston, sliding along the runway without its wheels and the US space agency confirmed that both crew members on board were safe.
The US Space Agency posted on X, that the incident involved a “mechanical issue” and will be thoroughly investigated. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Today, a mechanical issue with one of NASA’s WB-57s resulted in a gear-up landing at Ellington Field. Response to the incident is ongoing, and all crew are safe at this time. As with any incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted by NASA into the cause. NASA will…
— Bethany Stevens (@NASASpox) January 27, 2026
The aircraft involved was a Nasa WB-57, a high-altitude research plane known for its distinctive long, thin fuselage. The twin-seat jet is capable of flying for around six and a half hours at altitudes exceeding 63,000 feet (19,200 metres) and has long been used for scientific and atmospheric research missions, news agency AP reported.
The video footage showed that the plane made a slow landing hitting the runway with a jolt. Its wings appeared to bounce as it slid through the runway with bursts of yellow flame and white smoke. The aircraft gradually lost speed as the flames flared and then disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
🚨Watch: 🇺🇸Dramatic footage shows a NASA WB-57 research aircraft making a forced belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston, Texas, after its landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. Flames and sparks are visible as the jet slides along the runway. Emergency crews rushed in… pic.twitter.com/E8rRKRs4sG
— World Think (@WorldThinkX) January 28, 2026
Local television station KHOU 11 reported and aired footage of the aircraft showing a complete stop at the runway, with the cockpit hatch open and emergency vehicles positioned around it. Fire and rescue workers were seen near the aircraft.
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