Seven people were killed on Thursday when a Cessna 550 business jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, according to authorities and NASCAR. The aircraft, which was registered to a company linked to former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, went down shortly after takeoff as it attempted to return to the airport amid severe weather conditions around 10:15 a.m. local time, flight-tracking data showed.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said it is believed that Biffle and members of his immediate family were among those on board, but formal identification has not yet been completed due to an intense post-crash fire. Officials said the medical examiner’s office will release the confirmed identities of the seven occupants once the process is complete. Images shared by local media showed heavy flames and wreckage on the runway following the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a go-team to investigate the incident and is expected to brief the media on Friday. The airport was closed following the crash, with officials saying it will remain shut until debris is cleared from the runway. Lawmakers and members of the NASCAR community paid tribute to Biffle, a veteran driver who won 19 Cup Series races over a two-decade career and was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
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