NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, family killed in Statesville plane crash

A corporate jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport Thursday morning, leaving the small aircraft engulfed in flames and multiple people dead.

Flight records indicate the Cessna Citation business jet is registered to a company owned by retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. At a Thursday afternoon press conference, a North Carolina State Highway Patrol spokesman confirmed that Biffle was among the dead. A full list of those killed would await confirmation from the medical examiner because of the extensive fire, the spokesman said.

"Although the post-crash fire prevents us from releasing a definitive list of the occupants at this time, it is believed that Mr. Gregory Biffle and members of his immediate family were occupants of the airplane. We will be able to provide a compiled list on the seven occupants once confirmation has been made by the medical examiner’s office," said senior trooper K. Jake Macchia.

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, who represents the district and knows the Biffle family, released a statement Thursday afternoon that said Biffle, his wife Cristina Biffle and their two children were killed in the crash.

"I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them," wrote Hudson. "Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track."

Online automotive racing content creator Garrett “Cleetus McFarland” Mitchell, a friend of Biffle's, posted on Facebook that Biffle and his family were heading to visit Mitchell in Florida.

In a statement, the NASCAR Hall of Fame identified those killed as: "Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, son Ryder and daughter Emma as well as NASCAR veteran Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and son Jack."

Asked about the crash at a Thursday press conference, Gov. Stein said it was "heartbreaking, just heartbreaking." Stein later posted a statement praising Biffle for his charity efforts and sending condolences.

Statesville airport manager John Ferguson told reporters at a 12:30 p.m. press conference that the jet was fully ablaze when emergency crews arrived.

“We got a report of a corporate jet that crashed off the end of the runway on the east end. When I came out, it was already fully involved,” Ferguson said. He said that the FAA assumed control of the crash scene around noon and is leading the investigation. The airport remains closed until further notice while crews clear debris from the runway.

An FAA spokesperson told WFAE that there were six people aboard the plane, which crashed at about 10:20 a.m. The Highway Patrol said seven people were killed; the reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear.

“We have no information on any cause. The airport now is closed until further notice. It will take some time to get the debris off the runway to get it safe again,” Ferguson said. Photos and videos from the scene show wreckage engulfed in flames beside the runway.

Statesville Regional Airport primarily handles general aviation, including private planes belonging to NASCAR teams. Biffle, ranked one of NASCAR's top-75 all-time drivers, is a pilot and spent weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina coordinating and conducting helicopter flights from Statesville's airport and his own lakeside house, ferrying supplies in and victims out of cut-off mountain towns.

In September, Biffle posted a one-hour documentary video detailing his experiences and sharing footage from the storm, marking Helene's anniversary.

On Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board said it was dispatching a team that's expected to arrive Thursday evening, with a press conference sometime Friday.

Officials say they will provide updates as more information becomes available.

From across the NASCAR world, tributes poured in for Biffle from other drivers.

Political figures also expressed their sympathy.