Viewer video captured a NASA research plane making a belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston.
HOUSTON — A NASA research aircraft made a gear-up landing at Ellington Airport late Tuesday morning after experiencing a mechanical issue, according to NASA.
Cellphone video shared with KHOU 11 shows the aircraft skidding down the runway without its landing gear deployed, sparking fire and smoke as it slid to a stop. An aviation expert said the flames and smoke were caused by friction during the landing, noting the worst-case scenario would have been a post-landing fire.
According to a statement from Houston Airports, the incident happened around 11:30 a.m. as the aircraft was landing on Runway 17R–35L at Ellington Airport.
KHOU 11 crews arriving shortly after the hard landing saw two crew members exit the aircraft with help from emergency responders. One of the crew members appeared to visually inspect the plane before walking to an ambulance. NASA confirmed both crew members are safe.
What we know so far
NASA says a mechanical issue resulted in a gear-up landing involving one of its WB-57 aircraft.
Video shows the aircraft sliding along the runway before coming to a stop, with emergency crews responding. Houston Airports officials say first responders with a military subcontractor handled the response. The runway where the aircraft remains was closed while crews worked to remove it.
No additional details about the mechanical issue have been released.
About the aircraft
The aircraft involved was a NASA WB-57 high-altitude research plane, based at NASA Johnson Space Center near Ellington Field.
The NASA WB-57 High Altitude Research Program operates three WB-57 aircraft out of Ellington Field. The WB-57 is a mid-wing, long-range research aircraft capable of flying at altitudes above 63,000 feet. It typically carries two crew members — a pilot and a sensor equipment operator — and is used for scientific and atmospheric research missions.
The aircraft can:
- Fly for about 6.5 hours
- Travel up to 2,500 nautical miles
- Carry up to 8,800 pounds of payload
- Reach airspeeds of about 410 knots
An aviation expert, John Celigoy, said NASA pilots are among the best trained to handle emergencies, explaining that pilots are taught to flatten out the aircraft as much as possible during a gear-up landing to reduce impact.
He also said a landing gear failure can range from something as simple as a switch to a larger mechanical issue, such as a hydraulic pump. He added that the aircraft’s age may have contributed to a maintenance-related problem, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
What happens next
NASA says it will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and will provide updates as more information becomes available.