WA native Greg Biffle among 7 killed in North Carolina plane crash

A private jet crashed at a regional North Carolina airport and erupted into flames Thursday, killing seven people, including retired NASCAR star and Washington native Greg Biffle and three members of his family, officials said.

According to a joint statement released by the victims’ families, there were seven people aboard the plane, including Greg Biffle; his wife, Cristina Grossu Biffle; their son, Ryder; and Greg Biffle’s daughter, Emma.

The statement identified the other victims as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and Dutton’s son, Jack, all “beloved by many in the NASCAR community.”

What happened?

The plane took off Thursday morning from Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte. Shortly after takeoff, the jet turned back toward the airport and crashed while attempting to land, according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.

Video from WCNC showed first responders rushing onto the runway, where flames burned near scattered wreckage.

Investigators have said it is too early to determine what caused the crash. There was some drizzle and clouds at the time, according to AccuWeather.

Statesville Regional Airport offers corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams, according to its website.

Golfers witness the distaster

Golfers playing next to the airport were shocked as they witnessed the disaster, even dropping to the ground at the Lakewood Golf Club while the plane was overhead. The ninth hole was covered with debris.

“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” Joshua Green of Mooresville said. “It was scary.”

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA were investigating. AccuWeather said there was some drizzle and clouds at the time of the crash.

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.

The tragedy in North Carolina adds to the list of plane crashes this year around the world, including the plane-helicopter collision that killed 67 in Washington, the Air India crash that killed 260 in India, and a crash in Russia’s Far East that claimed 48 lives. Fourteen people, including 11 on the ground, died in a UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky.

NASCAR driver Greg Biffle

In 14 full-time seasons, Biffle, born in Vancouver, won 54 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002. He became the first of only three drivers that have won a championship in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series, and the sixth of only thirty-six drivers to win a race in each of NASCAR’s three national series. Biffle finished in the top 10 in the standings six times, including a runner-up finish in 2005.

Despite never winning a Cup Series championship, he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers. He retired in 2021.

Biffle was named the recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award in 2024 for his humanitarian aid efforts earlier this summer in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

This is a developing story, check back for updates