Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family believed to be killed in NC plane crash

by · Fox 4
Former driver Greg Biffle waves to fans prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Darlington, S.C.Matt Kelley/AP
This screengrab made from video provided by WSOC shows firefighting crews responding to a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., erupting in a large fire, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2025.WSOC via AP

Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle is believed to have been killed along with his wife and two kids when a small plane crashed while landing at a regional airport in Statesville, North Carolina on Thursday, according to officials and multiple outlets.

The Federal Aviation Administration said a Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 a.m. All seven occupants were killed, according to an official with the North Carolina Highway Safety Patrol.

Flight records showed the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle.

During a press conference Thursday afternoon, law enforcement said Biffle was on board, but they could not confirm the identities of the other six occupants at the time.

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.

Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina posted on X, "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 Iredell County Sheriff's Office said the crash was fatal, but did not say how many people were killed and did not identify the victims.

During a brief conference Thursday morning, airport director John Ferguson said the crash occurred at the end of a runway.

“The airport now is closed until further notice. It will take some time to get the debris off the runway,” Ferguson told reporters.

Video from local news station 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 National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating.