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12/18 18:34 CST Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family among 7 killed in
North Carolina plane crash
Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family among 7 killed in North Carolina
plane crash
By ALLEN G. BREED and GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) --- A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to
return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven
people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family,
authorities said.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It had
departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of
Charlotte, but soon crashed while trying to return and land, the North Carolina
State Highway Patrol said.
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. The
cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, nor was the reason for the plane's
return to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.
Biffle was on the plane with his wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and
Emma, 14, according to the highway patrol and a family statement. Others on the
plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
"Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable
void in our lives," the joint family statement said.
Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR's three circuits, including 19
at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and
the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
NASCAR said it was devastated by the news.
"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," NASCAR said. "His
passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow
competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport."
The plane, bound for Florida, took off from the Statesville airport shortly
after 10 a.m., according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.
Golfers playing next to the airport were shocked as they witnessed the
disaster, even dropping to the ground at the Lakewood Golf Club while the plane
was overhead. The ninth hole was covered with debris.
"We were like, ?Oh my gosh! That's way too low,'" said Joshua Green of
Mooresville. "It was scary."
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation
Administration were investigating.
The Cessna plane, built in 1981, is a popular mid-sized business jet with an
excellent reputation, aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said. It has two
engines and typically seats six to eight passengers.
In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene
struck the U.S., even using his personal helicopter to deliver aid to flooded,
remote western North Carolina.
"The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached
out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That's who the
Biffles were," U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, said.
Wadsworth was Biffle's friend and helped him with odd jobs, including
delivering supplies to places hit by Hurricane Helene, roommate Benito Howell
said.
"He didn't know how to say no," Howell said of Wadsworth, who had worked for
several NASCAR teams. "He loved everybody. He always tried to help everybody."
The joint family statement also spoke about Dutton and his son Jack, saying
they were "deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them."
With 2025 almost over, there have been 1,331 U.S. crashes this year
investigated by the NTSB, from two-seat planes to commercial aircraft, compared
to a total of 1,482 in 2024.
Major air disasters around the world in 2025 include the plane-helicopter
collision that killed 67 in Washington, the Air India crash that killed 260 in
India, and a crash in Russia's Far East that claimed 48 lives. Fourteen people,
including 11 on the ground, died in a UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky.
___
Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers John
Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North Carolina; Josh Funk in
Omaha, Nebraska; Ed White in Detroit; and Sarah Brumfield in Washington
contributed to this story.
