Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family among 7 killed in North Carolina plane crash

[K.I.T.T.]

STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, authorities said.

The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, but soon crashed while trying to return and land, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.

Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known, nor was the reason for the plane’s return to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.

Federal Aviation Administration records show Biffle was rated to fly helicopters and single and multi-engine planes. It wasn’t clear if Biffle was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.

Associated Press

 

[wetdry]

Damn. I grew up watching Biffle.

 

[rottenfresh]

STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, authorities said.

The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, but soon crashed while trying to return and land, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.

Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known, nor was the reason for the plane’s return to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.

Federal Aviation Administration records show Biffle was rated to fly helicopters and single and multi-engine planes. It wasn’t clear if Biffle was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.

Associated Press

RIP Greg Biffle and condolences to his family. Just awful to hear...😔

 

[SearCutFAL]

Damn ... 😌

 

[hedgerow]

never heard of him, but i'm still sad

 

[SearCutFAL]

Crash Site Video Footage
⬆
You'll need to manually turn
the volume on.


A huge fireball erupted after a private jet owned by NASCAR driver Greg Biffle
crashed at a North Carolina airport on Thursday morning. According to the FAA,
the Cessna C550 plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport at 10:15 am.

Breaking update: NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife, and children were onboard
the plane when it crashed, no survivors, according to WAME Radio.

 

[warhorse@1979]

Pilot ate too much vagisil and became too stupid to fly a plane…

 

[methedup77]

It’s a Cessna. They’re made to crash

 

[SearCutFAL]

I.M.O.
Likely Cause will be ...
Improper Protocol/Pilot Error

— STATESVILLE, N.C. —
Federal investigators are looking into the cause of a deadly plane crash in Statesville
Thursday, that killed ( 7 ) people, including Greg Biffle and several of his family members.

Federal records show at least two certified pilots were on board at the time:
the NASCAR legend Biffle himself and Dennis Dutton, an airline pilot.

FAA records show Biffle had just received certification to fly a multi-engine plane in March 2025,
but a former National Transportation Safety Board senior investigator said Biffle's private pilot's
license would not have allowed him to be the sole pilot on that flight.

FAA records show:
Dennis Dutton, is an airline transport pilot and is rated to fly the specific kind of aircraft, but
was required to have a second in command on board.

So, you have Pilot # 1 (Biffle) legally unable to fly in this application (type of Plane)
and Pilot # 2 (Dutton), unable to Legally fly without a Equal to Himself Pilot riding shotgun.
Biffle himself was not qualified to fill that role.

Well, that Sux!

 

[K.I.T.T.]

I.M.O.
Likely Cause will be ...
Improper Protocol/Pilot Error

— STATESVILLE, N.C. —
Federal investigators are looking into the cause of a deadly plane crash in Statesville
Thursday, that killed ( 7 ) people, including Greg Biffle and several of his family members.

Federal records show at least two certified pilots were on board at the time:
the NASCAR legend Biffle himself and Dennis Dutton, an airline pilot.

FAA records show Biffle had just received certification to fly a multi-engine plane in March 2025,
but a former National Transportation Safety Board senior investigator said Biffle's private pilot's
license would not have allowed him to be the sole pilot on that flight.

FAA records show:
Dennis Dutton, is an airline transport pilot and is rated to fly the specific kind of aircraft, but
was required to have a second in command on board.

So, you have Pilot # 1 (Biffle) legally unable to fly in this application (type of Plane)
and Pilot # 2 (Dutton), unable to Legally fly without a Equal to Himself Pilot riding shotgun.
Biffle himself was not qualified to fill that role.

Well, that Sux!

Doubtful it was pilot error. It was more than likely equipment failure, which is why he had turned around to return to the airport.

 

[franki's sock]

Sad.
may he rest in peace

 

[SearCutFAL]

Issues with the plane is possible, but whomever was flying came in too low, plowed the trees and field.
Panic or over-correcting are Pilot Errors.

For this to be a Technically Legal flight, there should have been a 3rd, fully certified/unrestricted Pilot.

⬇

Like I said above:

Federal records show at least two certified pilots were on board at the time:
the NASCAR legend Biffle himself and Dennis Dutton, an airline pilot.

FAA records show Biffle had just received certification to fly a multi-engine plane in March 2025,
but a former National Transportation Safety Board senior investigator said Biffle's private pilot's
license would not have allowed him to be the sole pilot on that flight.

FAA records show:
Dennis Dutton, is an airline transport pilot and is rated to fly the specific kind of aircraft, but
was required to have a second in command on board.

So, you have Pilot # 1 (Biffle) legally unable to fly in this application (type of Plane)
and
Pilot # 2 (Dutton), unable to Legally fly without a Equal to Himself Pilot riding shotgun.
Biffle himself was not qualified to fill that co-pilot role.


Pilot Error/Lack of efficiency/experience - a likely contributor.

 

[K.I.T.T.]

Issues with the plane is possible, but whomever was flying came in too low, plowed the trees and field.
Panic or over-correcting are Pilot Errors.

For this to be a Technically Legal flight, there should have been a 3rd, fully certified/unrestricted Pilot.

⬇

Like I said above:

Federal records show at least two certified pilots were on board at the time:
the NASCAR legend Biffle himself and Dennis Dutton, an airline pilot.

FAA records show Biffle had just received certification to fly a multi-engine plane in March 2025,
but a former National Transportation Safety Board senior investigator said Biffle's private pilot's
license would not have allowed him to be the sole pilot on that flight.

FAA records show:
Dennis Dutton, is an airline transport pilot and is rated to fly the specific kind of aircraft, but
was required to have a second in command on board.

So, you have Pilot # 1 (Biffle) legally unable to fly in this application (type of Plane)
and
Pilot # 2 (Dutton), unable to Legally fly without a Equal to Himself Pilot riding shotgun.
Biffle himself was not qualified to fill that co-pilot role.


Pilot Error/Lack of efficiency/experience - a likely contributor.

I'm doubtful this accident was due to pilot error. It was most likely a mechanical failure of some kind. Biffle flew helicopters as well as airplanes and helis are much, much more difficult to fly than fixed-wings. To say he was an expert pilot is an understatement. FAA records and/or regulations aren't even relevant in this particular situation. He certainly didn't lack experience, he'd been a pilot for over twenty years!

 

[45cal1911]

I'm doubtful this accident was due to pilot error. It was most likely a mechanical failure of some kind. Biffle flew helicopters as well as airplanes and helis are much, much more difficult to fly than fixed-wings. To say he was an expert pilot is an understatement. FAA records and/or regulations aren't even relevant in this particular situation. He certainly didn't lack experience, he'd been a pilot for over twenty years!

He owned the Cessna and according to some news sources, it was a mechanical failure.

 

[K.I.T.T.]

He owned the Cessna and according to some news sources, it was a mechanical failure.

Considering the craft was attempting to return to the airport, that was my assumption. What a terrible thing to happen to an entire family..

 

[SearCutFAL]

At this point, everyone is just guessing ...
Possibility of a Medical issue, as a variable - the mystery continues:

⬇

Gateway Pundit News

 

[Smokinrav]

Just to update, the NTSB has released its initial report. Summarized by Google Ai

The NTSB preliminary report on the December 18, 2025, plane crash involving Greg Biffle indicates that pilots experienced severe, multiple instrument failures, including faulty altitude and airspeed data, shortly after takeoff, leading to an unstabilized approach. The flight, which was not operated by Biffle himself, ended in a crash before the runway, killing all seven aboard, with findings suggesting electrical anomalies. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Findings from NTSB Preliminary Report (Jan 30, 2026):

• Instrument Failure: The pilot, Dennis Dutton, reported that the left-side altitude indicator and other flight instruments were malfunctioning.
• Audio/Data Issues: Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) audio was degraded, suggesting possible electrical issues.
• No Engine Failure: Both engines were producing power at the time of impact, and no pre-impact structural failure was found.
• Unstabilized Approach: The plane, a Cessna Citation 550, attempted to return and was too low, impacting trees and lights short of the runway.
• Pilot Qualification: The flight was operating illegally as it lacked a qualified second in command, according to the NTSB preliminary report. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Post-Crash Developments:

• Wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against the estates of both Greg Biffle and pilot Dennis Dutton, citing negligence in aircraft maintenance and piloting, as seen in reports from ABC7 and KTTC.
• The investigation into the cause is ongoing and could take up to 18 months, as detailed in this NTSB Briefing. [1, 2, 3]

The crash resulted in the death of Greg Biffle, his wife, and others on board near Statesville, North Carolina. [1, 2, 3]

 

[K.I.T.T.]

Just to update, the NTSB has released its initial report. Summarized by Google Ai

The NTSB preliminary report on the December 18, 2025, plane crash involving Greg Biffle indicates that pilots experienced severe, multiple instrument failures, including faulty altitude and airspeed data, shortly after takeoff, leading to an unstabilized approach. The flight, which was not operated by Biffle himself, ended in a crash before the runway, killing all seven aboard, with findings suggesting electrical anomalies. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Findings from NTSB Preliminary Report (Jan 30, 2026):

• Instrument Failure: The pilot, Dennis Dutton, reported that the left-side altitude indicator and other flight instruments were malfunctioning.
• Audio/Data Issues: Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) audio was degraded, suggesting possible electrical issues.
• No Engine Failure: Both engines were producing power at the time of impact, and no pre-impact structural failure was found.
• Unstabilized Approach: The plane, a Cessna Citation 550, attempted to return and was too low, impacting trees and lights short of the runway.
• Pilot Qualification: The flight was operating illegally as it lacked a qualified second in command, according to the NTSB preliminary report. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Post-Crash Developments:

• Wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against the estates of both Greg Biffle and pilot Dennis Dutton, citing negligence in aircraft maintenance and piloting, as seen in reports from ABC7 and KTTC.
• The investigation into the cause is ongoing and could take up to 18 months, as detailed in this NTSB Briefing. [1, 2, 3]

The crash resulted in the death of Greg Biffle, his wife, and others on board near Statesville, North Carolina. [1, 2, 3]

Thanks for updating this. I think it's a shitty move to sue the estate of Greg Biffle, considering he wasn't flying...

 

[Smokinrav]

Thanks for updating this. I think it's a shitty move to sue the estate of Greg Biffle, considering he wasn't flying...

It really is, but he's, sorry was, a multi millionaire and all his direct descendants died, so folks see easy dollar signs.

Notable is that if that qualified pilot was on board, he may have had the experience to save the plane, considering both engines were working at the impact.