A private jet linked to retired NASCAR champion Greg Biffle crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Thursday, killing seven people including Biffle, his wife and two children, authorities and family statements said. The crash prompted an outpouring of tributes from the racing world and renewed attention on Biffle’s humanitarian work as a pilot, as investigators began examining what caused the aircraft to go down while attempting to return to the airport.
The aircraft, identified by authorities and multiple reports as a Cessna C550 business jet, went down in the Statesville area, roughly 45 miles north of Charlotte. Officials said the jet had departed from Statesville Regional Airport but soon attempted to return and land before crashing and erupting into fire.
The Iredell County Sheriff, Darren Campbell, confirmed fatalities at the scene as authorities worked through the initial response. “I can confirm there were fatalities,” Campbell said, according to remarks reported by People from Thursday’s developments.
Biffle, 55, was confirmed among the dead alongside his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, their five-year-old son Ryder, and Biffle’s 14-year-old daughter Emma, who was from a previous relationship, according to a joint family statement and reporting on the victims’ identities. The statement also named the three other victims as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth, described as “beloved by many in the NASCAR community.”
In the hours after the crash, details emerged about the family’s final moments, including a text message sent from the aircraft. Cristina Grossu Biffle’s mother, Cathy Grossu, told People that her daughter sent a short message shortly before the crash. “She texted me from the plane and she said, ‘We’re in trouble.’ And that was it,” Grossu said. “So we’re devastated. We’re brokenhearted.”
Grossu said the family was travelling for a birthday trip in Florida when the crash occurred, describing the journey as something meant to be a joyful family occasion.
Family members, in a statement released on behalf of those who died, described the impact of the loss and spoke directly about Biffle and his family. “This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,” the statement said. It added: “Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma. Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child.”
While the official cause of the crash had not been announced in initial reports, authorities indicated the aircraft crashed as it tried to return to the airport, and federal aviation investigators were expected to be involved, as is standard in fatal aviation accidents in the United States. Local and state agencies also responded at the scene.
Biffle’s death reverberated across NASCAR, where he had long been regarded as one of the sport’s leading drivers of his era. The Associated Press noted he had been named by NASCAR as one of its 75 greatest drivers and was a Hall of Fame nominee.
He won championships in both NASCAR’s Truck Series and what is now the Xfinity Series, becoming the first driver to claim titles in both of those national series, according to AP reporting. Over the course of more than 800 starts across NASCAR’s top three national series, he collected 54 victories, including 19 in the Cup Series, and finished runner-up in the Cup championship standings in 2005.
Biffle spent much of his top-level career driving for Roush Fenway Racing, based in North Carolina, a proximity that underscored the shock in the local racing community as news spread. Team owner Jack Roush, in a social media tribute cited by the AP, said: “I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program. His contributions to our race team over the years are immeasurable.”
In later years, Biffle became widely known for flying missions to help others, including using a helicopter to deliver supplies after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina and neighbouring areas. The AP said he was “perhaps best remembered for his selfless and tireless work helping others” in the aftermath of the storm, and reported that he received the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award in 2024 for those humanitarian efforts.
NASCAR, in a statement quoted by the AP, highlighted both Biffle’s racing legacy and his relief work. “Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many,” the series said. “Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.”
The tragedy also drew statements from public officials, including US Representative Richard Hudson, a friend of the family, who spoke about Biffle’s character beyond the racetrack. “They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others,” Hudson said, in a statement reported by People. “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.”
As the investigation proceeds, the focus is expected to include the aircraft’s flight path, weather conditions and communications around the attempted return to Statesville, along with the jet’s maintenance and operational history. Authorities have not released a final account of what went wrong, but officials and family statements have already framed the loss as devastating, particularly given the presence of children and the family’s close involvement in charitable work.
For those closest to the victims, the shock has been compounded by the brief message sent from the plane. Grossu told People she could not stop thinking about the final moments and the family’s last hours together, describing how her daughter had been focused on helping others even the night before the trip.
