12/19/25 12:09:00
Printable Page
12/19 12:07 CST Investigation starts into North Carolina plane crash that
killed NASCAR driver Biffle and 6 others
Investigation starts into North Carolina plane crash that killed NASCAR driver
Biffle and 6 others
By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) --- Federal investigators sifting through the wreckage
of a business jet that crashed in North Carolina and killed retired NASCAR
driver Greg Biffle, his family, and three others are trying to figure out who
was flying the plane and what caused it to return to the airport soon after
takeoff.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground Thursday,
killing all seven on board. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about
45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, but crashed less than 10 minutes
later while trying to return and land, authorities said.
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were at the airport
trying to determine the cause of the crash and why the plane returned to the
airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.
Federal Aviation Administration records show Biffle was rated to fly
helicopters, and single- and multi-engine planes. Also on board was Dennis
Dutton. Two people appear in a federal database of pilot licenses under that
name. The crash also killed Dutton's son, Jack, and Biffle's friend Craig
Wadsworth.
Biffle's wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were also killed
in the crash, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.
"Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable
void in our lives," the joint family statement said.
Cristina Biffle's mother told People magazine that her daughter sent her a text
message saying, "We're in trouble," before she didn't hear from her again.
Greg 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 called Biffle "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," NASCAR said.
A memorial with flowers sprouted up Friday by Biffle's marble star in his
hometown of Mooresville, honoring him as a member of the North Carolina Auto
Racing Hall of Fame.
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."
The Statesville airport remained closed Friday while the NTSB performed its
investigation, a city spokesperson said.
___
Associated Press writers Allen G. Breed; Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North
Carolina; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South
Carolina; Ed White in Detroit; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this
story.
|
