Seven people died on Thursday when a Cessna 550 business jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, NASCAR confirmed.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said it is believed Biffle and members of his immediate family were on board, but the intense post-crash fire has delayed formal identification. The plane was registered to a company linked to Biffle. Officials will release the full list of occupants once confirmed by the medical examiner.
The jet had been travelling to Florida but tried to return to the Statesville airport shortly after takeoff amid severe weather around 10:15 a.m. (15:15 GMT), according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Local media and social media images showed a large fire and wreckage on the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a go-team to investigate the crash and will brief the media on Friday.
Biffle, 55, won 19 Cup Series races during his 20-year career, with his final race in 2022 at the Geico 500 in Talladega. He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis praised Biffle, noting his community efforts after Hurricane Helene, including using his personal helicopter to assist victims.
Statesville airport remains closed as crews clear debris from the runway before reopening, city officials said.
