Seven Dead, Including NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle and His Family, After Tragic North Carolina Plane Crash — Here's What We Know

A former NASCAR driver, his wife, and two children were among those who died when a private jet crashed moments after takeoff in North Carolina.

A business jet erupted into flames near Statesville, North Carolina, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in a crash that killed all seven on board.

The aircraft had just taken off and was attempting to return to the runway when it plummeted to the ground and caught fire.

Among the victims was retired NASCAR star Greg Biffle, along with his wife, Cristina, and their children: Emma, 14, and Ryder, 5. Also killed were Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol released the names on Friday, December 19.

The jet, a Cessna C550, had departed from Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, in drizzling, overcast weather. It crashed shortly during an attempted return. Public flight records show the aircraft was registered to a company operated by Biffle.

No emergency radio call was recorded before the crash, and authorities have not disclosed what prompted the return attempt.

Aviation expert Greg Feith, a former senior air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told NBC that early flight data points to engine trouble. He explained that while pilots can land with one engine, a severe failure may lead to total loss of control.

"In the flight path, it looks like they're trying to fly a normalized pattern to get back to the runway that they took off on rather than taking a 200-degree turn and land opposite direction," Feith said. "Land slightly downwind if you need to, but get the airplane on the ground under control and that's the key."

Feith added that investigators will examine the flight's timeline, crew response, and the aircraft’s maintenance history to determine what went wrong.