NASA WB-57 Research Jet Makes Emergency Belly Landing After Gear Failure

A specialized NASA WB-57 research aircraft executed an emergency landing at Ellington Airport, southeast of Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, after its landing gear failed to deploy during the approach sequence. The twin-engine jet slid along Runway 17R–35L on its fuselage at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time, generating visible flames and a significant smoke plume due to friction with the runway surface.

All flight crew members aboard the aircraft, registration N927NA, were successfully evacuated following the runway excursion, with no physical injuries reported. Emergency response teams mobilized immediately to the scene at the Houston facility, a key operational center for NASA's Johnson Space Center activities. The incident prompted swift action from both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, both of which confirmed intentions to conduct comprehensive technical investigations into the mechanical malfunction.

The grounded WB-57 is a unique asset, tracing its design lineage to the English Electric Canberra and serving extensively in high-altitude atmospheric and scientific data collection since the 1970s. This specific airframe is currently the sole active unit in NASA's operational fleet, as its two sister aircraft are withdrawn for mandatory, extensive inspections. One of those scheduled major inspections was due for completion in February 2026, illustrating the tight maintenance cycle required for these specialized jets.

Missions conducted by the WB-57 fleet often involve deploying sophisticated sensor packages to study atmospheric composition, Earth observation, and test aerospace technology at altitudes exceeding 63,000 feet for durations up to 6.5 hours. The grounding of N927NA, alongside the required inspections on its counterparts, imposes a temporary constraint on NASA's capacity to execute specific high-altitude airborne science campaigns that depend on the platform's unique performance envelope.

Visual documentation from local affiliates depicted the aircraft stationary post-slide with the cockpit hatch open, while emergency vehicles maintained a perimeter. The affected runway was temporarily closed to allow for the safe assessment and eventual removal of the damaged research platform. The future serviceability of this high-performance jet now depends on the detailed findings from the joint NASA and FAA inquiries.