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Greg Biffle, his wife and children were killed in a plane crash in North Carolina Thursday, Rep. Richard Hudson, RN.C., said in a social media post.
Biffle and his family members were aboard a Cessna C550 with tail number N257BW en route to the Bahamas via Sarasota, Florida, when it crashed at Statesville Regional Airport. The plane had tail number N257BW, which is owned by GB Aviation Leasing LLC, according to federal aviation records. The company is owned by Biffle.
“I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina and their children and my heart goes out to everyone who loved them,” Hudson wrote on X.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle makes an appearance during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia on March 20, 2022. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
“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 also an extraordinary person and will be remembered for his service to others as much as his fearlessness on the track.”
“The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
“The last time I spoke to Cristina, just a few weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with the relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who Biffles was.
“Our prayers are with their family, friends and all who are grieving this unimaginable loss.”
Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said at an earlier news conference that he could “confirm that there were fatalities” in the crash. Officials did not identify who died or how many people were on board the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration told Pakinomist Digital that the C550 crashed around 10:20 a.m. ET. FAA officials and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the matter, with the NTSB leading the investigation.
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A massive fire is seen at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
The fire continued as emergency crews rushed to the scene of a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
Smoke is seen billowing from a plane crash at Statesvlle Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
An official with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office told Pakinomist Digital that the small jet crashed after taking off shortly after 1 p.m.
Video from the scene showed first responders rushing onto the runway as flames burned near the scattered wreckage of the plane.
Golfers at nearby Lakewood Golf Club said they fell to the ground as the plane flew overhead. They said the ninth hole was covered in debris.
“We were like, ‘Oh my god! That’s way too low,'” Joshua Green of Mooresville told The Associated Press. “It was terrifying.”
Statesville Regional Airport provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams, according to the airport’s website.
Biffle, 55, garnered significant praise last year when he used his personal helicopter to deliver supplies and internet service to those in need in the wake of Hurricane Helene in parts of North Carolina. He even found a stranded family while flying due to their use of a mirror against the sun.
Biffle had provided Starlink services to residents of western North Carolina and reflected on his experience helping the stranded family whose mirror use saved them.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) speaks to the press during the Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, on February 16, 2022. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)
“The only way we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at the bottom of a steep ravine. 6 attempts to land due to difficulty, but we got there – got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken feed, formula, gas, 2-stroke oil and pre-made sandwiches from Harris Teeter before we left,” Biffle wrote at the time.
Biffle had 19 NASCAR Cup Series wins, six of them coming in 2005 when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three straight Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also had 20 wins in the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title and taking 17 other checkered flags in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the championship in 2000. Biffle originally retired from racing in 2016, but returned six years later.
