NASA research aircraft makes belly landing

A potential disaster was averted after a mechanical failure occurred on a research aircraft belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The NASA WB-57 research aircraft made a belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston, Texas, after its landing gear failed to deploy due to a mechanical issue.

Footage recorded by bystanders showed flames erupting as the aircraft's fuselage, with its landing gear retracted, made contact with the runway. Emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene after the aircraft came to a stop, and it was reported that the pilots escaped the incident without injury.

NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens stated in a press release that the landing gear did not deploy due to a mechanical problem, adding, "The response to the incident is ongoing, and all crew members are currently safe. As with every incident, NASA will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the event."