Statesville, NC: A plane has crashed around 10:32 am on Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport, about 40 miles north of Charlotte. The Cessna C550 business reportedly belonged to ex-NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. While many wondered if the 55-year-old and 16-year veteran NASCAR star was aboard, his friend, YouTuber, and part-time NASCAR racer, Cleetus McFarland a.k.a. Garrett Mitchell, has shared an update.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and son Ryder were on that plane…because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this. I do not know if his daughter was onboard.”

According to the latest reports, Biffle, along with his wife Cristina, 5-year-old son Ryder, Biffle’s daughter from another marriage, Emma (14), Dennis Dutton, and his son Jack were among the other victims. Craig Wadsworth, a member of the NASCAR community, was flying the plane.

Earlier reports had already suggested that GB Aviation Leasing, the same address as Biffle, owned the tail number N257BW. The Cessna C550 was scheduled to fly to Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport from Statesville. It took off at 10.06 am but only traveled 29 miles before it made a U-turn to return to the landing spot. Apparently, there were technical issues with the vertical speed of the plane, and a loud noise was heard. It crashed while attempting to land at Statesville.

For now, both technical reasons and weather conditions need to be studied to understand what really went wrong.

“Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is en route and will investigate the incident,” said the airport officials.

AccuWeather says that the weather conditions were adverse at the airport. According to Dan DePodwin, “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.”

However, he also added that if the weather conditions had to play a role in it, then it could take months for the investigators to confirm that.

As per the plane’s capacity, it could have around 9-12 people on board. The sheriff’s office has confirmed loss of multiple lives in this horrifying tragedy.

The press conference revealed some updates, but nothing significant, about the identities of the casualties. They mentioned how the city, county, feds, and all officials are on-site. As of now, the airport is closed until further notice, as it’ll take time to clear the debris, too.

Another reason for the delay is the plane type. It’s a commercial charter plane, so with these kinds, it takes more time to get the casualty list out in public.

NASCAR garage pours in their condolences

Biffle was a legend in the NASCAR community, having been one of just two drivers to win both a championship in the third-tier NASCAR Truck Series and the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series. 19 of Biffle’s Cup Series wins came while driving for Roush Racing. He won NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers for NASCAR’s 75th anniversary in 2023. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Biffle is elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the near future. For now, NASCAR, too, grieves the loss of its own…

“Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many. His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport… Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.”

Carson Hocevar posted a heartfelt picture of himself and Greg Biffle hugging each other after a race, writing, “This moment means so much more. something i will remember forever. heartbreaking day. RIP .”

Meanwhile, Kenny Wallace also shared a condolence post, but about Craig Wadsworth, the pilot of the Biffle family.

“Prayers out this morning,” tweeted John Hunter Nemechek.

Tragically, Greg Biffle, who once acted as a savior during Hurricane Helene by rescuing victims as a licensed helicopter pilot, is now at the center of this horrifying event. Let us pray for the family and friends affected by this grim news.