VIDEO: NASA plane makes fiery belly landing at Texas airport
Updated: 8:56 AM CST Jan 28, 2026
A NASA aircraft made a “belly” landing at Ellington Airport, southeast of Houston, late Tuesday morning after experiencing a mechanical issue, NASA said. Watch video of the incident in the player above.According to the Houston Airport, the WB-57 aircraft, a high-altitude research plane, slid along Runway 17R–35L without its landing gear deployed, then came to a stop at around 11:30 a.m. The aircraft sparked fire and smoke as it slid.Video shows the plane slowly descending toward the runway, then touching down with a jolt, its wings bouncing as yellow fire and white smoke bursts from beneath it. It steadily slides down the track, the flames bursting and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The aircraft begins to slow before the video ends.Houston Airport officials said first responders from a military subcontractor handled the initial response.”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,” NASA said. NASA said a thorough investigation into what may have caused the crash will be conducted. The crew is “all safe at this time,” NASA said in a post on X. No additional details regarding the mechanical issue have been released at this time. The NASA WB-57 has flown research missions since the 1970s and continues to be an asset for the scientific community, according to the agency’s website.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
HOUSTON —
A NASA aircraft made a “belly” landing at Ellington Airport, southeast of Houston, late Tuesday morning after experiencing a mechanical issue, NASA said.
Watch video of the incident in the player above.
According to the Houston Airport, the WB-57 aircraft, a high-altitude research plane, slid along Runway 17R–35L without its landing gear deployed, then came to a stop at around 11:30 a.m. The aircraft sparked fire and smoke as it slid.
Video shows the plane slowly descending toward the runway, then touching down with a jolt, its wings bouncing as yellow fire and white smoke bursts from beneath it. It steadily slides down the track, the flames bursting and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The aircraft begins to slow before the video ends.
Houston Airport officials said first responders from a military subcontractor handled the initial response.
“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,” NASA said.
NASA said a thorough investigation into what may have caused the crash will be conducted.
The crew is “all safe at this time,” NASA said in a post on X.
No additional details regarding the mechanical issue have been released at this time.
The NASA WB-57 has flown research missions since the 1970s and continues to be an asset for the scientific community, according to the agency’s website.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.