An emergency landing of a NASA WB-57 aircraft at Ellington Field Airport in Houston resulted in sparks flying along the runway. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning due to a mechanical issue, leading to a gear-up landing as confirmed by NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
In response to the event, Stevens stated on social media that the crew members were safe, and NASA would conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident. Video footage from local channel KHOU 11 captured the aircraft skidding on its belly, emitting sparks, before coming to a halt. Emergency crews assisted one of the pilots in exiting the cockpit. The aircraft had two pilots on board.
Jim Szczesniak, Director of Aviation for Houston Airports, reported that the NASA aircraft encountered issues upon landing on Runway 17R-35L at Ellington Airport around 11:30 a.m. The runway was closed for removal of the aircraft, with first responders from a military subcontractor attending to the situation.
The reason behind the landing gear failure remains unknown. The WB-57 is a long-range aircraft under the operation of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, capable of flying for extended periods at high altitudes and carrying a payload of up to 8,800 lbs. Ellington Airport houses three WB-57 aircraft and serves military, NASA, and general aviation operations.