Why Greg Biffle, wife Cristina were on Cessna C550 plane that crashed in Statesville; ‘where was he going?’

Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and two children died in a Cessna C550 plane crash in Statesville on Thursday

Updated on: Dec 19, 2025, 01:13:41 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and two children died in a Cessna C550 plane crash in Statesville on Thursday, their close friend and driver Garrett Mitchell, aka Cleetus McFarland, confirmed on Facebook. This comes after authorities reported that a plane owned by Biffle crashed and exploded into flames while attempting to land at the regional airport.

A plane linked to NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed on Thursday (Instagram)

The sheriff confirmed fatalities, but did not say whether Biffle was on the plane.

Why Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina and their kids were on the plane

Mitchell confirmed that the Biffle family was coming over to his Florida home to ‘spend the afternoon with us’.

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

The airport, located about 45 miles north of Charlotte, is frequently used by NASCAR teams and major corporations. Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell confirmed the loss of life, saying, “I can confirm there were fatalities.” The Federal Aviation Administration said all six occupants were aboard a Cessna C550 at the time of the crash.

Flight records indicate the aircraft was registered to a company operated by retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. Tracking data from FlightAware showed the jet departed from Statesville shortly after 10 AM before turning back and attempting to land at the same airport.

The crash unfolded in full view of golfers at the adjacent Lakewood Golf Club, where debris was scattered across the ninth hole, AP reported. Some players reportedly dropped to the ground as the plane flew overhead moments before impact. “We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” said Joshua Green of Mooresville. “It was scary.”

Video footage from WSOC-TV captured first responders racing onto the runway as flames burned amid the wreckage. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FAA. AccuWeather reported drizzle and cloudy conditions in the area at the time of the crash.

According to flight data, the aircraft had been scheduled to travel later in the day from Sarasota, Florida, to Treasure Cay International Airport in the Bahamas, before returning to Fort Lauderdale and ultimately back to Statesville by evening.

(With AP inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.