Smoke rises from North Carolina plane crash as emergency personnel rush to the scene
Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were on board a plane that crashed in North Carolina, a lawmaker says.
Greg Biffle, his wife and children were killed in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said in a post on social media.
Biffle and his family members were on board a Cessna C550 with the tail number N257BW making its ways to the Bahamas via Sarasota, Florida, when it crashed at Statesville Regional Airport. The plane had the tail number N257BW, which is owned by GB Aviation Leasing LLC, according to federal aviation records. The company is owned by Biffle.
"I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them," Hudson wrote on X.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle appears during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, on March 20, 2022. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
"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, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track."
"The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
"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.
"Our prayers are with their family, friends, and everyone grieving this unimaginable loss."
Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said in an earlier press conference he could "confirm there were fatalities" in the crash. Officials didn’t identify who the deceased were or how many people were on board the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration told Fox News Digital the C550 crashed around 10:20 a.m. ET. FAA officials and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating, with the NTSB leading the probe.
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A massive fire is seen at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
The fire continued as emergency personnel rushed to the scene of a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
Smoke is seen billowing from a plane crash at Statesvlle Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina. (WJZY-TV)
An official with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital that the small jet crashed after it took off shortly after 10 a.m.
Video from the scene showed first responders rushing onto the runway as flames burned near the scattered wreckage from the plane.
Golfers at the nearby Lakewood Golf Club said they dropped to the ground as the plane flew overhead. They said the ninth hole was covered with debris.
"We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’" Joshua Green, of Mooresville, told The Associated Press. "It was scary."
Statesville Regional Airport offers corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams, according to the airport’s website.
Biffle, 55, drew significant praise last year when he used his personal helicopter to deliver supplies and internet service to those who need it in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in parts of North Carolina. He even located a stranded family while flying due to their use of a mirror against the sun.
Biffle had been delivering Starlink services to residents of western North Carolina and reflected on his experience helping out the stranded family whose mirror use saved them.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) talks to the press during Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)
"Only way we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at bottom of steep canyon. 6 attempts to land due to difficulty but we got there - got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken food, formula, gas, 2 stroke oil, and sandwiches premade from Harris Teeter before we left," Biffle posted at the time.
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Biffle had 19 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, six of them coming in 2005 when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three consecutive Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also earned 20 wins in the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title, and got 17 other checkered flags in the Craftsman Truck series, winning the championship in 2000. Biffle had originally stopped racing in 2016 but returned six years later.
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