NC aircraft crash: Federal regulators examine Statesville crash involving former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, household
STATESVILLE, N.C. — Federal investigators sifting via the wreckage of a enterprise jet that crashed in North Carolina and killed retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his household, and three others are attempting to determine who was flying the aircraft and what precipitated it to return to the airport quickly after takeoff.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a big fireplace when it hit the bottom Thursday, killing all seven on board. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, however crashed lower than 10 minutes later whereas attempting to return and land, authorities mentioned.
First responders are inclined to the scene of a reported aircraft crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025.
AP Photograph/Matt Kelley
Flight data present the aircraft was registered to an organization run by Biffle. Investigators from the Nationwide Transportation Security Board have been on the airport attempting to find out the reason for the crash and why the aircraft returned to the airport in drizzle and cloudy situations.
Federal Aviation Administration data present Biffle was rated to fly helicopters, and single- and multi-engine planes. Additionally on board was Dennis Dutton. Two folks seem in a federal database of pilot licenses beneath that title. The crash additionally killed Dutton’s son, Jack, and Biffle’s buddy Craig Wadsworth.
Biffle’s spouse, Cristina, and youngsters Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, have been additionally killed within the crash, the North Carolina State Freeway Patrol mentioned.
Greg Biffle celebrates in victory lane after profitable the NASCAR Dash Cup Collection auto race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Kansas Metropolis, Kan.
AP Photograph/Orlin Wagner, File
“Every of them meant every part to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the joint household assertion mentioned.
Greg Biffle, 55, received greater than 50 races throughout NASCAR’s three circuits, together with 19 on the Cup Collection degree. He additionally received the Vans Collection championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Collection title in 2002.
Greg Biffle smiles alongside pit row throughout qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Dash Cup Collection auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, in Hampton, Ga.
AP Photograph/David Tulis, File
NASCAR known as Biffle “a beloved member of the NASCAR group, a fierce competitor, and a buddy to so many.”
“His ardour for racing, his integrity, and his dedication to followers and fellow rivals alike made a long-lasting influence on the game,” NASCAR mentioned.
A memorial with flowers sprouted up Friday by Biffle’s marble star in his hometown of Mooresville, honoring him as a member of the North Carolina Auto Racing Corridor of Fame.
In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene struck the U.S., even utilizing his private helicopter to ship help to flooded, distant western North Carolina.
Former driver Greg Biffle waves to followers previous to a NASCAR Cup Collection auto race at Darlington Raceway, Aug. 31, 2025, in Darlington, S.C.
AP Photograph/Matt Kelley, File
“The final time I spoke with Cristina, simply a few weeks in the past, she reached out to ask how she might assist with reduction efforts in Jamaica. That is who the Biffles have been,” U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, mentioned.
Wadsworth was Biffle’s buddy and helped him with odd jobs, together with delivering provides to locations hit by Hurricane Helene, roommate Benito Howell mentioned.
“He did not know the right way to say no,” Howell mentioned of Wadsworth, who had labored for a number of NASCAR groups. “He beloved all people. He all the time tried to assist all people.”
The joint household assertion additionally spoke about Dutton and his son Jack, saying they have been “deeply beloved as effectively, and their loss is felt by all who knew them.”
The Statesville airport remained closed Friday whereas the NTSB carried out its investigation, a metropolis spokesperson mentioned.
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Related Press writers Allen G. Breed; Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North Carolina; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Ed White in Detroit; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this story.
