A private jet crashed at a regional North Carolina airport and erupted into flames, killing seven people, including retired NASCAR star Greg Biffle and three members of his family, officials said. The accident occurred shortly after the plane took off from Statesville Regional Airport, around 45 miles north of Charlotte. Moments into the flight, the jet attempted to return to the airport but tragically crashed during its landing attempt, as per tracking data from FlightAware.com.
Video footage showed first responders racing to the scene where flames engulfed the wreckage. Investigators are still gauging possible causes for the crash, noting that light drizzle and cloudy weather conditions were present at the time.
Passengers included Biffle, 55, his wife Cristina, their son Ryder, and daughter Emma. According to a statement from the victims' families, the other deceased were identified as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and Dutton's son Jack, all of whom were cherished in the NASCAR community. Biffle, a distinguished NASCAR driver, left behind a legacy with more than 50 career wins across the series. His close ties with Wadsworth highlighted their long-standing friendship within NASCAR, where Wadsworth had worked for several teams over the years.
The jet involved was identified as a Cessna C550, known for its strong safety reputation. Registered to a company owned by Biffle, the plane was bound for Sarasota, Florida, before continuing to the Bahamas. Built in 1981, the Cessna 550 typically costs between $1 million and $10 million, depending on its specific features and outfitting. This incident is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers associated with private aviation, as it adds Biffle to the solemn list of athletes who have lost their lives in aviation accidents.
Video footage showed first responders racing to the scene where flames engulfed the wreckage. Investigators are still gauging possible causes for the crash, noting that light drizzle and cloudy weather conditions were present at the time.
Passengers included Biffle, 55, his wife Cristina, their son Ryder, and daughter Emma. According to a statement from the victims' families, the other deceased were identified as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and Dutton's son Jack, all of whom were cherished in the NASCAR community. Biffle, a distinguished NASCAR driver, left behind a legacy with more than 50 career wins across the series. His close ties with Wadsworth highlighted their long-standing friendship within NASCAR, where Wadsworth had worked for several teams over the years.
The jet involved was identified as a Cessna C550, known for its strong safety reputation. Registered to a company owned by Biffle, the plane was bound for Sarasota, Florida, before continuing to the Bahamas. Built in 1981, the Cessna 550 typically costs between $1 million and $10 million, depending on its specific features and outfitting. This incident is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers associated with private aviation, as it adds Biffle to the solemn list of athletes who have lost their lives in aviation accidents.
