A business jet registered to a company linked to former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina Wednesday morning, resulting in multiple fatalities, authorities confirmed.
The Cessna C550 with tail number N257BW went down while attempting to land on runway 28 around 10:20 AM local time, according to an FAA accident report. The aircraft had taken off from the same airport only minutes earlier before encountering trouble and attempting to return. Six people were reportedly on board the flight, which erupted into flames upon impact.
Crash Details Emerging
“I can confirm there were fatalities,” Iredell County Sheriff Grant Campbell said, though he declined to specify how many victims were involved. Multiple sources have reported six confirmed victims as of 11:00 AM.
Flight-tracking data shows the jet departed Statesville between 10:06 and 10:15 AM before turning back shortly after takeoff and attempting to return to the airport, according to available information. What caused the aircraft to turn around remains unclear.
The aircraft is registered to GB Aviation Leasing LLC, a company connected to Greg Biffle, the former NASCAR driver who competed primarily in the Cup Series. As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities had not publicly confirmed the identities of those aboard, including whether Biffle himself was among the passengers.
Eyewitness Accounts
Joshua Green, who was playing golf at the nearby Lakewood Golf Club when the crash occurred, described seeing the aircraft flying dangerously low before impact. “We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,'” Green recalled.
Weather conditions at the time included drizzle and cloud cover, which may have been factors in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA investigators are conducting a thorough investigation that will include review of weather data.
Has this kind of incident happened before at Statesville? The regional airport, situated about 45 miles north of Charlotte, serves as a hub for corporate aviation, including several Fortune 500 companies and NASCAR teams. It’s a facility well-acquainted with private jets and racing personnel.
Following the crash, officials closed Statesville Regional Airport while emergency crews cleared debris and inspected the runway for damage. The closure’s duration wasn’t immediately announced.
The racing community has been rocked by aviation incidents before, with the NASCAR world particularly sensitive to such tragedies after losing team owner and pilot Alan Kulwicki in 1993 and star driver Davey Allison that same year—both in separate helicopter crashes.
