Probable cause
The airplane's impact with terrain for undetermined reasons.
NTSB analysis
The airplane had just taken off on a local flight. Recorded global positioning system (GPS) information from a handheld unit showed the airplane take off on a south-southeasterly heading and climb to an altitude of 634 feet mean sea level (about 600 feet above ground level) before entering a gradual descent that continued until the airplane impacted terrain just before a treed area. Witnesses in the area heard the airplane’s engine produce a high pitched winding noise just before hearing the airplane impact the ground. Ground impact marks at the accident site were indicative of the airplane in a wings-level, continuous descent with the engine under power to the time of the impact. A postaccident examination of the airplane showed no anomalies indicative of any systems problems prior to the accident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN10FA230 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 28, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Friendswood, Texas
- Highest injury
- Fatal
- Fatal injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Bellanca 17-30A
- N-number
- N14787
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.