Crime & Safety

NASCAR Driver, Family Killed In Fiery NC Plane Crash On Way To Sarasota: Reports

NASCAR's Greg Biffle was flying to Sarasota when his plane crashed in NC, killing him and his family on board, reports said.

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This screengrab made from video provided by WSOC shows firefighting crews responding to a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, NC that erupted in a large fire on Thursday. NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were onboard.
This screengrab made from video provided by WSOC shows firefighting crews responding to a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, NC that erupted in a large fire on Thursday. NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were onboard. (WSOC via AP)

STATESVILLE, NC — Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was flying to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport when it crashed Thursday morning in Statesville, North Carolina, killing him and his family, who were onboard, according to multiple reports.

A Cessna 550 owned by Biffle’s company, GB Aviation Leasing LLC, based in Mooresville North Carolina, crashed at the Statesville Regional Airport, Fox News reported.

The plane took off just after 10 a.m. before turning back to the airport, crashing around 10:20 a.m. as it landed, reports said.

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The plane was scheduled to land at SRQ and then take off again for Treasure Cay, Bahamas at 2:19 p.m., ABC 7 reported.

It was set to leave Treasure Cay at 4:10 p.m. for Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and then leave there to return to North Carolina at 6:10 p.m., ABC said.

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There were seven people on board at the time of the crash, KATV said. Biffle was confirmed to be killed, while his wife and children were believed to be among those dead, the outlet added.

YouTube star and owner of the Freedom Factory racetrack in Bradenton, Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, wrote in a social media post that his friend, Biffle, was on the plane.

“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. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this,” Mitchell wrote.

Biffle, who got his private pilot’s license in March, teamed up with Mitchell to fly relief missions after Hurricane Helene, using the racecar driver’s helicopter in western North Carolina.

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