Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife and two children were among the fatalities in Thursday’s small plane crash at a North Carolina airport, a family member who was on his way to visit them in Florida today confirmed.
The plane, owned by the former NASCAR driver, crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport, about 70 miles north of Charlotte, leaving multiple fatalities, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Light aircraft crashes after takeoff
The aircraft, a Cessna C550 with capacity for up to seven passengers, crashed at around 10:15 local time (15:15 GMT).
Minutes after taking off from that terminal, for reasons that are still under investigation.
Sheriff Darren Campbell told a news conference that there were multiple fatalities, but did not identify them.
However, youtuber Garrett Mitchell, known as Cleetus McFarland, confirmed the Biffle’s death on Facebook:
“Sadly, I can confirm that Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma and son Ryder were on that plane, as they were coming to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated,” Mitchell wrote.
Investigation remains open
Local media reported that the plane is owned by former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle.
He was known for flying hundreds of helicopter rescue missions in western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024.
Images released from the airport showed the aircraft engulfed in a large fireball after impact.
Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene, while the area remains cordoned off and authorities continue with investigations.
The route and causes of the accident are being investigated
According to FlightAware, the plane was scheduled to fly to Sarasota, Treasure Cay and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before returning to Statesville in the evening.
Campbell noted that his office along with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were processing the accident scene and notifying the victims’ families.
Statesville Regional Airport offers corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams, according to city officials.
With information from EFE
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