Overview
- The Cessna C550 departed Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15 a.m. Thursday bound for Florida, turned back minutes after takeoff and crashed while attempting to land, according to FlightAware data.
- A joint family statement named the victims as Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, his children Emma, 14, and Ryder, 5, and fellow passengers Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and Jack Dutton.
- Investigators from the NTSB and FAA have launched a probe into the accident, and officials have not determined a cause.
- Public records show the aircraft was registered to a company managed by Biffle.
- Tributes from across NASCAR, including messages from team owner Jack Roush and Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, praised Biffle’s racing legacy and his humanitarian work in western North Carolina.