High-Altitude Research Plane Makes Dramatic Belly Landing at Ellington Airport

HOUSTON, TX — Drama unfolded in the skies above Southeast Texas today, January 27, 2026, as a rare NASA high-altitude research aircraft was forced to make an emergency belly landing at Ellington Airport (EFD).

At approximately 11:30 a.m. local time, the NASA WB-57 Canberra, one of only three such vintage aircraft still in operation globally, encountered a critical landing gear failure while returning to base. Witnesses and dramatic cell phone footage captured the moment the aircraft touched down on Runway 17R-35L without its wheels deployed, sending a shower of sparks and visible flames trailing beneath the fuselage as it skidded along the concrete.

Crisis on the Runway

Emergency crews, including medical personnel and specialised fire teams from military subcontractors, were on the scene within seconds of the “hard landing”. Despite the intense visuals of the friction-ignited flames, the aircraft eventually came to a rest upright on the runway.

In a moment of immense relief for observers and NASA officials alike, the two pilots on board were safely extracted from the cockpit roughly an hour after the incident. Reports from the scene indicate that both crew members appeared to be uninjured, though they were immediately taken to a nearby ambulance for precautionary medical evaluations.

Official Response and Airfield Status

The Houston Airport System was quick to provide clarity on the situation. In an official statement released shortly after the crash, the Director of Aviation confirmed the closure of the primary landing strip.

“Around 11:30 this morning, a NASA aircraft... had an issue upon landing on runway 17R-35L at Ellington Airport,” the Director of Aviation stated. “First responders with a military subcontractor are responding to the incident. The runway is closed, as you might imagine, until the aircraft can be removed. All further questions need to be directed to NASA”.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Runway 17R-35L remains closed to all traffic as investigators from the Johnson Space Centre and the FAA begin the delicate process of hoisting the heavy research plane to assess the damage and clear the debris.

A Rare Scientific Asset

The WB-57 is a legendary fixture of the Houston aerospace community. These aircraft, which have been in service since the 1970s, are prized for their ability to fly at altitudes exceeding 60,000 feet, carrying massive sensor suites for atmospheric research, satellite calibration, and cosmic dust collection.

While the cause of the gear malfunction is currently unknown, NASA’s Johnson Space Centre has confirmed that a media team is being deployed to the site to provide a full briefing on the mission's objectives and the mechanical status of the aircraft prior to the incident.

For the aviation community, today’s event is a stark reminder of the risks involved in operating vintage, specialised equipment. However, the successful recovery of the crew highlights the exceptional training of NASA’s flight wing and the rapid response of Ellington’s emergency teams.