Seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, died when their private jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Thursday. The Cessna C550 jet went down around 10:15 a.m. while attempting to land, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
NASCAR confirmed that Biffle, his wife Cristina, and their children Emma and Ryder were among the victims. The other three killed were Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and Jack Dutton. The aircraft was operated by a company owned by Biffle, flight records show.
Biffle, 55, was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. He was known for his humanitarian work after Hurricane Helene, flying hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein called the crash “heartbreaking,” praising Biffle's “courage and compassion.”
The plane had taken off from the airport and immediately turned back to land, according to local reports. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and plans to provide further updates.
