NASA WB-57 Pilot Executes Heroic Gear-Up Emergency Landing in Houston

A NASA pilot safely executed an emergency “belly landing” of a high-altitude WB-57 research aircraft at Ellington Field in Houston on Tuesday after the landing gear failed to deploy. The skilled maneuver resulted in no injuries to the crew, though the incident may impact the aircraft’s role in upcoming missions, including NASA’s Artemis II lunar launch observations.

In a dramatic display of airmanship, a NASA pilot guided one of the agency’s rare WB-57 aircraft to a safe, gear-up landing on a Houston runway Tuesday morning. Video from KHOU 11 television showed the large, twin-engine jet touching down smoothly on its belly, sliding down the tarmac in a controlled shower of sparks before coming to a stop. The crew emerged unharmed from the incident, which is now under investigation by the space agency.

“Today, a mechanical issue with one of NASA’s WB-57s resulted in a gear-up landing at Ellington Field,” said NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens, as reported by KHOU 11. “All crew are safe at this time. As with any incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted by NASA into the cause.” The agency pledged to provide transparent updates as more information is gathered.

The aircraft involved is part of NASA’s fleet of just three WB-57s, workhorse planes with a storied history stretching back to the Cold War. Originally designed as the English Electric Canberra, the U.S. version, the B-57, entered service in the 1950s. A high-altitude variant with extended wings evolved into the WB-57, capable of flying missions at heights up to 62,000 feet. These jets were once used for weather reconnaissance and sampling the upper atmosphere for nuclear debris.

Since 1972, NASA has operated these aircraft as unique platforms for high-altitude science. Their ability to linger in the stratosphere makes them invaluable for a wide array of research. They have flown above hurricanes, collected cosmic dust from comets, studied rocket plumes from vehicles like the Space Shuttle and SpaceX’s Starship, and are critical for observing launch and re-entry phenomena.

The damaged aircraft was the third in NASA’s fleet, famously recovered from the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona in 2013 and restored to flying condition. The immediate concern is the extent of the damage and the impact on upcoming missions. According to reports, the WB-57s were slated to observe the launch of the Artemis II mission and the re-entry of the Orion spacecraft after its journey around the Moon. It is not yet clear if this aircraft can be repaired in time or if the mission profile will need adjustment.

The successful emergency landing underscores the pilot’s exceptional skill. A gear-up, or “belly,” landing is a high-risk procedure where the pilot must maintain precise control to prevent the aircraft from veering off the runway, catching fire, or breaking apart. The fact that the crew walked away unscathed is a testament to their training and composure.

This incident casts a spotlight on NASA’s often-unsung aerial arm. While rockets and spacecraft capture headlines, these venerable jets perform critical science and support operations that enable broader exploration goals. The investigation will now focus on the mechanical failure that prevented the landing gear from deploying, a crucial step in ensuring the continued safe operation of these rare and irreplaceable aircraft.