Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A former NASCAR driver was one of seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, an official said.
A Highway Patrol spokesman said agents on the ground identified race car driver Greg Biffle as among those aboard.
Officials investigating the incident told reporters that the Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 local time (15:20 GMT).
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted “Heartbreaking news from Statesville” on X. “In addition to his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stood up for Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.”
The Cessna C550 aircraft is owned by a private company linked to retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, BBC US partner CBS reported.
Professional baseball player Mitchell Garret wrote on Facebook that Biffle and his family were preparing to spend the afternoon with him.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm that Greg Biffle, his wife Christina, daughter Emma and son Ryder were on that plane… as they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us,” he wrote on Facebook. “We are heartbroken. I am sorry to share this.”
Statesville Airport Director John Ferguson described the plane as a business jet and said it was engulfed in flames when he arrived on scene.
The business jet took off at around 10:06 local time and stayed in the air briefly before crashing.
The plane crashed at the east end of the runway, and authorities have no information on the cause of the crash.
Ferguson told reporters that Statesville Airport will remain closed until further notice as crews clear debris from the runway.
During the media conference, officials did not provide any information about the deaths or those on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said it was assembling a team to investigate the fatal crash. The team is expected to arrive on scene Thursday evening.
Statesville Regional Airport (KSVH) is owned by the City of Statesville and is located approximately 45 minutes north of Charlotte.
It also provides aviation facilities to Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.
Biffle’s racing career spanned two decades and in 2023 he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. The 55-year-old Biff has 19 Cup wins in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
The Vancouver, Washington, native came to national attention during the 1995 NASCAR Winter Heat Series as “Biff,” according to his NASCAR profile.
He made a name for himself in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of the Year award and the 2000 series championship.
He was subsequently named the 2001 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year and won the 2002 championship, becoming the first driver to win both the Xfinity Series and Truck Series championships.
He also co-founded the organization’s “Sand Outlaws Series.” Although he reduced racing after 2016, he appeared to make a comeback in 2019, competing in a one-off race at Texas Motor Speedway and winning the race.
“Racing is racing,” he said. Nascar.com 2021. “It’s the adrenaline, you want to be better than the competition, you want to build better stuff and have faster cars. I just love competing.”
