A private jet owned by NASCAR veteran Greg Biffle crashed and erupted into flames Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, leaving multiple people feared dead.
According to the New York Post, the Cessna C550 went down around 10:15 a.m., authorities confirmed, in an airport that regularly serves NASCAR teams and corporate travelers.
Footage from WSOC-TV shows the aircraft fully engulfed in flames as emergency crews scrambled to the scene.
Public records confirm the jet is registered to Biffle, who is semi-retired from racing. Officials have not yet disclosed how many people were aboard the plane at the time of the crash.
“The sheriff’s office has confirmed fatalities, but we do not have an exact number at this time,” a local official said. Emergency vehicles swarmed the airport, creating a perimeter around the wreckage as first responders worked to secure the area.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have arrived to examine the crash, though details about the cause are not yet available.
Biffle, a prominent figure in NASCAR, has not yet commented publicly on the incident. The crash has sent shockwaves through the motorsports community, which frequently uses the airport for team travel and business operations.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while the scene remains active and under investigation.
No further details regarding survivors or casualties have been released, and updates are expected as the investigation continues.
This marks a tragic day for North Carolina aviation and the NASCAR community, as emergency crews work to determine the circumstances surrounding the fiery crash.
