Houston: A NASA research aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at a Houston airport after developing a technical fault, officials confirmed. Both people on board remained safe, and no injuries were reported.
According to details, the emergency occurred when the aircraft’s landing gear failed to deploy ahead of landing, prompting authorities to declare a precautionary emergency. The aircraft had completed a research mission and was returning when the problem was detected.
Sources said the aircraft made a gear-up landing at Joint Reserve Base Ellington, near Houston. Despite the technical issue, the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely.
A viral video circulating on social media shows the aircraft touching down on the runway on its lower fuselage, with sparks visible as it skidded along the ground. Firefighting and rescue teams were immediately deployed and successfully brought the situation under control.
NASA officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the malfunction.
The aircraft involved was identified as a WB-57 high-altitude research plane, operated by NASA’s Johnson Space Center. According to NASA, three WB-57 aircraft are stationed at Ellington Field. These aircraft are capable of flying at altitudes of over 63,000 feet and can remain airborne for more than six hours, covering distances of up to 2,500 miles.
The WB-57 typically carries one pilot and one sensor systems operator during research missions.