NASCAR driver Greg Biffle-owned plane crash: FAA officials confirm 6 people killed in wreck

The FAA and local authorities have confirmed six people were killed in a plane crash in Statesville, N.C., on Thursday morning, according to a report from Dalton Hopkins of Frontstretch. Names of the deceased have not yet been released publicly.

The crash happened around 10:15 a.m. ET. At that time, a Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport.

The wreckage immediately triggered fire and heavy smoke, leaving a pile of rubble on the ground. A handful of local viewers captured footage, stunned by the plane’s low trajectory as it attempted to salvage the situation.

CNN reported that “a federal source with knowledge” of the plane crash said a person associated with NASCAR was on board at the time of the crash. Various other tidbits began to emerge early Thursday afternoon on that front.

The plane was owned by former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, who has become beloved in the state of North Carolina for his relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Others close to Biffle confirmed that he was on the plane, along with his wife and two children.

Garrett Mitchell, known as Cleetus McFarland, shared information on his Facebook page on Thursday. He said the family was on its way to visit him when the plane crash occurred.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us,” Mitchell wrote. “We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”

Kenny Wallace also posted on his Twitter account that Craig Wadsworth was also aboard during the plane crash. Wadsworth drove Wallace’s motorhome for six years, per Wallace.

Visibility in the area was low at the time of the crash, thanks to rain in the area. The NTSB has announced it will conduct a complete investigation. It will host a press conference to release its preliminary findings on Friday.