STATESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) – Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was on his way to spend the afternoon with a famous YouTuber when he and his family died in a plane crash Thursday in North Carolina, the content creator said.
Garrett Mitchell — known online as “Cleetus McFarland” — wrote on Facebook that Biffle, his wife and two kids were on the way to visit him when their Cessna C550 crashed shortly after takeoff at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 18.
“We are devastated,” Mitchell’s Facebook post read in part. In another post, he called Thursday “the worst day ever.”
Flight records showed Biffle’s plane was headed to an airport in Sarasota, Fla. — which is only about 30 minutes from Bradenton, Fla., where Mitchell is based.
It was not immediately clear why the crash happened.
Including Biffle, officials confirmed that seven people died.
In the hours after the crash, Mitchell shared more than a dozen pictures of himself with Biffle on his personal and Cleetus McFarland Facebook pages. The 19-time Cup Series winner had appeared in some of Mitchell’s videos.
Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle died after his plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in N.C. on Dec. 18.(Ralph Lauer | AP)
Many more paid tribute to Biffle as well.
Among them were RFK Racing co-owners Jack Roush and Brad Keselowski. Biffle drove the No. 16 car for the team, when it was then known as Roush Fenway Racing.
“The tragic accident involving Greg Biffle and his family today is incredibly heartbreaking,” a statement from Roush said Thursday. “I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program. His contributions to our race team over the years are immeasurable.”
Keselowski, too — who still races now — said he was “heartbroken” by the news.
“I had the privilege of racing alongside Greg for many years, and like so many in our sport, I gained deep respect for him not only as a champion on the racetrack, but as a competitor who helped define an era of NASCAR,” Keselowski’s statement read in part. “His impact on Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing runs deep, and his accomplishments helped lay a foundation we continue to build upon today.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in the investigation.
Greg Biffle killed in plane crash
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