Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife, and children died Thursday when their jet crashed while landing at a regional airport in Statesville, North Carolina, erupting in a large fire.
The news was confirmed in a statement by North Carolina Congressman Rep. Richard Hudson.
I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them.
They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. 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.
The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.
Our prayers are with their family, friends, and everyone grieving this unimaginable loss.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 a.m. Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating.
The Iredell County Sheriff's Office said the crash was fatal, but the number of fatalities is unclear.
The crash occurred at the end of a runway, said airport director John Ferguson.
“The airport now is closed until further notice. It will take some time to get the debris off the runway,” Ferguson told reporters during a press briefing.
Video from WSOC-TV showed first responders rushing onto the runway as flames burned near scattered wreckage from the plane.
The airport says on its website that it provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.
Statesville is about 45 miles north of Charlotte.
The plane took off from the airport shortly after 10 a.m. but then returned and was attempting to land there, according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.
The plane had planned to fly later from Sarasota, Florida, to Treasure Cay International Airport in the Bahamas before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and then to Statesville by evening, data showed.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
