Retired NASCAR star Greg Biffle was amongst seven who died in an aviation crash on Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport.
First Sergeant Chris Knox of the North Carolina Highway Patrol first confirmed the death of Biffle and added it was ‘one of the worst crashes’ he had ever seen.
“As an agency, we do not investigate airplane crashes,” Knox said. “What we are called to do (is) assist our federal partners (to) provide security and work with families for identification of those involved. In this case, our members are here assisting federal authorities.
“Again, just so you know, we do not investigate airplane or aviation crashes. We are here to work alongside side our federal partners and assist them …
“I can tell you some brief details we have, and I won’t be able to answer any questions when I conclude, because we don’t have answers to anything else right now. You’re going to have everything I can definitely say to you right now. …
“We can tell you at this point that seven confirmed occupants on the aircraft are deceased. … The only person we can confirm is a Mr. Greg Biffle was one of those seven deceased occupants.”
Knox said that there was visual witness evidence that Biffle was on the plane and the other victim confirmations were pending ‘the medical examiner’ process.
However, he also later said the victims ‘include Mr. Greg Biffle and his immediate family.’
Garrett Mitchell, better known as YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, first stated on his social media channels that the Biffle family was on board the plane and died in the incident.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
Biffle and Mitchell had become close friends over the past five years, bonding over natural disaster relief efforts, and the latter’s efforts to become a NASCAR driver himself with sporadic ARCA starts at Daytona, Talladega and Bristol.
Biffle spent the entirety of his full-time NASCAR career with Roush Racing, now known as RFK Racing, which also issued a statement mourning the loss.
The Sanctioning Body has also released a statement, which confirmed the passing of the Biffle family and two others.
“NASCAR is devastated by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, son Ryder, Craig Wadsworth and Dennis and Jack Dutton in a fatal plane crash.
Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many. His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.
On the track, Greg’s talent and tenacity earned him championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, as well as numerous wins and accolades in the NASCAR Cup Series. Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Greg’s entire family, friends, and all who were touched by his life.”
State congressman Rich Hudson issued a statement mourning the loss.
The incident occurred at 10:15 a.m. at the airport located 45 miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the regional facilities used by many organizations and individuals within the industry.
Immediately overseeing the incident was the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office but in the hours since the crash, they have been joined on-site by the Federal Aviation Administration and the North Carolina State Patrol. A brief press conference was held shortly after noon with airport manager John Ferguson sharing what little he could at the time.
“Like we said, at approximately 10:15 a.m., we got a report of a jet that crashed off the end of the runway on the east end. By time I came out, it was fully engulfed. We’ve had multiple agencies that have come. The FAA arrived at about 12 o’clock today.
“They are taking over the scene and the investigation. We have no information on the cause. The airport is closed until further notice. It will take time to get the debris off the runway.”
The following update on the reported plane crash in Statesville, NC, is available from AccuWeather:
“Adverse weather conditions were reported in the vicinity of Statesville Regional Airport around the time of the plane crash. Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m. The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m. Weather conditions are often a critical factor that investigators carefully review after a plane crash. It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.”
The plane was quickly identified in the moments after the crash as a Cessna C550 with the tail number N257BW, which is owned by Biffle’s GB Aviation Leasing LLC.
Biffle was the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series champion, the 2000 Craftsman Truck Series champion and was named as one of the sport’s 75 greatest drivers in 2023 due to his 19 wins at the highest level from 2002 through sporadic starts this decade.
In recent years, Biffle became known for philanthropy centering on animal welfare through his Greg Biffle Foundation and his relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024. Biffle is a registered pilot and used his helicopter to take supplies to Western North Carolina in the aftermath of the devastating storm.
According to Kenny Wallace, Craig Wadsworth was also on board the aircraft with the Biffle family.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information become available
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