A private jet owned by NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed and exploded while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Thursday morning, killing multiple people, according to authorities.
According to the New York Post, one close friend of the racing star claimed Biffle, his wife, and their two children were on board.
The Cessna C550 went down just before 10:30 a.m. at the airport, which serves both NASCAR teams and Fortune 500 companies. Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell confirmed there were fatalities but declined to specify the number of victims or their identities.
Biffle, 55, a semi-retired driver affectionately nicknamed “The Biff,” owns the plane through GB Aviation Leasing, public records indicate. Details about who else may have been on the aircraft remain unclear, though Biffle’s friend Garrett Mitchell — known online as Cleetus McFarland — shared on social media that the NASCAR star and his family were traveling to visit him.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma and son Ryder were on that plane,” Mitchell wrote on Facebook. “Because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
Flight data shows the jet departed the regional airport around 10 a.m. but failed to reach even 2,000 feet before turning back. Witnesses at nearby Lakewood Golf Club said the plane flew unusually low overhead, with debris raining onto the ninth hole.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” said Joshua Green of Mooresville. “There was debris everywhere.”
Biffle is a 19-time winner on NASCAR’s Cup Series and a one-time Busch Series champion. He made headlines last year for a daring helicopter rescue of a Hurricane Helene victim.
Authorities said the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the crash.
Meanwhile, friends and fans have flooded social media with prayers and condolences as the racing community reels from the shocking incident.
