NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his family among 7 dead in North Carolina plane crash, officials say

Mark Price, The Charlotte Observer on Dec 18, 2025

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina and their two children were among those who died Thursday when a jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, according to multiple sources.

The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed seven people were killed in the crash: Five adults and two children.

“I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,” Congressional Motorsports Caucus Chair Richard Hudson wrote in a statement.

“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, remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.”

Greg Biffle, center, is regarded as one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers of all time. He and his family died on Dec. 18 after his plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, which is about 45 miles north of Charlotte. Courtesy of Lake Norman Humane

The jet was landing around 10:15 a.m., when it burst into flames. Only the tail was recognizable as the wreckage burned, videos showed.

Witnesses noted on social media the plane cut a path through a wooded area near the airport, and left a smoking trail carved in the grass before it came to a stop.

“Multiple agencies are responding ... including HazMat, EMS, Fire, Rescue, Emergency Management, the NC State Highway Patrol, and the Federal Aviation Administration,” the airport reported in a Facebook post.

The city-owned airport is about a 45-mile drive north from Charlotte, and “provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams,” according to the city.

Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career, Hurricane Helene aid

Biffle was “one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers,” according to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Known as “the Biff,” he "raced 14 full-time seasons, earned 19 wins in 515 starts and was a perennial Playoff contender,” NASCAR.com reports. “Biffle finished in the top 10 in the standings six times, including a runner-up finish in 2005,” the Hall of Fame says.

He had 20 years of experience as a helicopter pilot, a skill he put to use by flying badly needed supplies to people in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, PBS reported in a 2024 story.

“The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Hudson noted in his release. “The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.”

Gov. Josh Stein also referenced Biffle’s Helene flights in a social media post offering condolences. “Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion,” he wrote.

More information on the Statesville plane crash

Flight Aware reports that the Cessna that crashed was scheduled to spend most of the day in Florida, flying from Sarasota to Treasure Cay and then to Fort Lauderdale before returning to Statesville this evening.

A Cessna C550 can carry up to seven passengers, Airlines Connection says.

Weather conditions at the airport were “adverse” at the time of the crash, AccuWeather reports.

“Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m. The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m.,” according to Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting Operations.

“Weather conditions are often a critical factor that investigators carefully review after a plane crash. It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.”

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