Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his immediate family and others on board a business jet were killed after the plane crashed and burst into flames in western North Carolina on Thursday, Dec. 18, according to the family members of the people on board and NASCAR.
The Cessna C550 crashed about 10:15 a.m. local time while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in Iredell County, about 40 miles north of Charlotte, according to local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport confirmed that seven people were on board the plane at the time of the crash.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said it is believed that Biffle and members of his family were among those killed in the crash, but a formal confirmation has not been completed due to a severe post-crash fire. Identification of the victims is pending confirmation from the medical examiner’s office.
“This is still an active event,” Statesville City Manager Ron Smith said during a brief news conference Dec. 18, calling the crash a multi-agency response and adding that the investigation is “evolving.”
The plane was bound for Florida but attempted to return to the Statesville Regional Airport soon after takeoff in severe weather, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight paths. The aircraft was registered to a company tied to Biffle, Reuters reported.
The families identified Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Biffle, their 5-year-old son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma, 14, as among the dead. Others on the plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
A statement released by the loved ones of those killed and posted on X said, “this tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words.”
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. Local authorities said the NTSB is expected to be at the scene on Friday, Dec. 19.
Biffle would have turned 56 next week, according to his biography on the NASCAR Hall of Fame website. He is a nominee for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Born on Dec. 23, 1969, in Vancouver, Washington, Biffle began his racing career driving on short tracks around the Pacific Northwest before debuting in the NASCAR Northwest Series in 1989.
Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family killed in plane crash
Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, their young children and three others were killed when their jet crashed in North Carolina.
Biffle made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2002 and spent 14 years as a full-time Cup Series driver from 2003 to 2016, earning 19 wins, 92 top-five finishes and 175 top 10s. His first Cup victory came at NASCAR’s most famous track when he took the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, 2003.
In 2023, Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers by the organization to celebrate its 75th anniversary season. He received the 2024 National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Award for his efforts and was honored at that year’s NASCAR Awards banquet.
Biffle was still racing on a part-time basis in 2025 in the ARCA Menards Series. He competed in two races in August in the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon) and finished top five in both.
The death of Biffle has rocked the NASCAR community. The former Roush Racing driver was one of the most well-liked drivers in the paddock.
NASCAR drivers and those who worked with Biffle were among the many to pay their respects to him on social media. Four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon said the news of Biffle’s death was “devastating.”
“I had such tremendous respect for Greg as a driver, and we shared countless tough battles on the track,” Gordon wrote on X. “Like so many others, I was inspired by his tireless relief work during Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to the Biffle family and everyone hurting.”
Longtime NASCAR team owner Jack Roush gave Biffle his big break and helped him realize his NASCAR dreams when he signed the Vancouver, Washington, native to his team in NASCAR’s third tier. Biffle would go on to win all 19 of his Cup Series races under Roush or Roush Fenway Racing.
“The entire Charlotte sports community has suffered a tremendous loss,” Roush said in a statement. “The tragic accident involving Greg Biffle and his family today is incredibly heartbreaking. I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program. His contributions to our race team over the years are immeasurable.” Read more here.
— Ayrton Ostly
Biffle was also a licensed pilot who provided relief for people in Tennessee and North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene by flying in via helicopter to hard-to-reach areas with supplies and resources.
Biffle was asked by a friend to assist with a single-family rescue in western North Carolina after Helene and became heavily involved in relief efforts, rallying other members of the NASCAR community to contribute supplies. At one point, he had flown nine days straight while providing disaster relief, in what became known as Operation Airdrop.
“What started out to be helping one family that was stuck up in Banner Elk, which was the only thing I knew about, it’s kind of taken on a life of its own,” Biffle told The Tennessean last October.
Adverse weather conditions were reported in the vicinity of Statesville Regional Airport around the time of the crash, AccuWeather Vice President of forecasting operations Dan DePodwin told USA TODAY.
“Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m.,” DePodwin said. “The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m. Weather conditions are often a critical factor that investigators carefully review after a plane crash. It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.”
The Statesville airport’s director, John Ferguson, said at the news conference that he was at the airport when the plane crashed off the end of the runway to the east end. Images shared by local media outlets and on social media showed a large fire on the runway amid the plane wreckage.
The FAA arrived on scene just after noon local time, Ferguson said, adding the airport was closed until further notice. “It will take some time to get the debris cleared off the runway,” he said.
The FAA directed questions about those on board to local law enforcement. USA TODAY has reached out to the city of Statesville for more information.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a go-team to the scene and will hold a news briefing on the investigation on Friday morning, Dec. 19. The agency is leading the investigation into the crash.
“Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board departed Washington Dulles Airport at about 5:30 pm ET Thursday and are en route to North Carolina to begin their investigation,” the agency said in a news release.
The NTSB said the team includes 16 people with expertise in systems, recorders, power plants, drones and family assistance. Specialists in operations, air traffic control and meteorology in Washington, DC, are also assisting in the investigation.
Investigators are expected to be on scene in North Carolina for about a week, according to the NTSB.
NTSB is launching a go team to investigate the fatal crash of a Cessna Citation C550 jet in Statesville, North Carolina. The team expects to arrive on scene tonight and Member Michael Graham will be spokesperson on scene. NTSB will hold a media briefing tomorrow, time and…
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) December 18, 2025
There have been at least 1,331 aviation accidents investigated by federal authorities this year, according to data from the NTSB. Of those, 252 were fatal.
The plane crash in North Carolina is the latest high-profile aviation disaster to occur in 2025. Recent incidents have raised concerns over air safety in the United States.
NTSB investigators are still probing two deadly crashes that occurred in late January: the midair collision of an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, DC, that killed 67 people; and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
In April, a sightseeing helicopter crashed in New York City’s Hudson River, killing all six people on board. In its preliminary report, the NTSB said the helicopter “suddenly” broke apart before plummeting into the water.
The family members of those killed in the accident said in a statement that Greg and Cristina Biffle “were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma,” whom he shared with former wife Nicole Lunders.
Emma “was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people,” and Ryder “was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child,” the family statement said.
The families also identified a father and son named Dennis and Jack Dutton as victims of the crash, saying they were “deeply loved” and that “their loss is felt by all who knew them.”
The statement identified Craig Wadsworth as a seventh victim of the crash, saying he “was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him.”
“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the heartbroken families said. “We ask for privacy, compassion and understanding as we grieve and begin to process this unimaginable loss … At this moment, our focus is on honoring their lives and supporting one another.”
NASCAR said in a statement that Biffle 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 organization said that Biffle’s “talent and tenacity” earned him many accolades over the years, including championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and the NASCAR Cup Series.
“Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community,” NASCAR said, citing his Hurricane Helene efforts.
Cristina Biffle was active on Instagram, recently posting photos of her smiling alongside her husband, son and her stepdaughter Emma.
“Life’s too short to spend it stuck in a cycle that you don’t love,” she wrote in a September post. “We only get one shot at this, and every sunrise is a reminder that the time is now.”
Cristina Biffle also posted frequently about her career as a real estate agent and owner of Leisurely Real Estate, based in North Carolina.
“It’s hard because it tests everything you’re made of,” she reposted last month, adding that her career gave her something priceless: “freedom.”
“The late nights are worth it when you can make it to the school play, a family lunch, or just a quiet morning at home,” she wrote.
North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, who was friends with the Biffle family, said in a post on X that they “lived their lives focused on helping others.”
“Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans,” Hudson wrote. “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.”
He said that the Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions amid devastation from Hurricane Helene last year.
“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,” Hudson said. “That’s who the Biffles were.”
He continued: “Our prayers are with their family, friends, and everyone grieving this unimaginable loss.”
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said in a statement that Biffle “lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.”
“My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one in this tragic crash,” he said.
Contributing: Ayrton Ostly and Ellen J. Horrow, USA TODAY; Tom Kreager, USA TODAY Network; Reuters
(This story was updated to add new information and a video.)