UPDATE:
Garrett Mitchell, who is Cleetus McFarland, and helped fly rescue missions for hurricane relief, is saying Biffle, his wife, and his children were all on broad.
Prayers out to everyone.
Original Post:
A Cessna C550 business jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday morning, resulting in multiple fatalities and engulfing the aircraft in flames.
The plane, registered under tail number N257BW, is owned by GB Aviation Leasing, a company affiliated with retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, according to FAA records and multiple reports.
The incident occurred around 10:15 a.m. local time. Flight tracking data indicates the jet had taken off from the airport shortly before, heading toward Sarasota, Florida, but appeared to turn back shortly after departure—possibly due to mechanical issues—before crashing on approach.
Eyewitnesses described the aircraft as flying “way too low” before impact. Photos and videos from the scene show the wreckage on the runway, with intense orange flames and thick black smoke billowing into the overcast sky, as emergency crews responded.
Greg Biffle's jet just crashed at KSVH. A friend heard an unusual sound when the Citation was taking off. It appears they tried to return to field. No other confirmed details. #NASCAR @flightaware pic.twitter.com/CqaAuYDR55
— Nick (@nick_dudley) December 18, 2025
Greg Biffle plane crashes
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed multiple deaths, though the exact number of fatalities and any potential survivors remain unconfirmed as the investigation unfolds.
Unverified reports from social media and local sources suggest up to six people may have been on board, with some accounts claiming five fatalities.
Authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), are leading the probe into the cause of the crash.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina State Highway Patrol are assisting on-site. Fog was reported in the area, but it is unclear if the weather contributed to the accident.
🚨 JUST IN: A private jet reportedly owned by NASCAR driver Greg Biffle has CRASHED in Statesville, North Carolina, resulting in "MULTIPLE" fatalities
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 18, 2025
A massive emergency response is underway and roads in the area are entirely blocked.
Reports of fatalities. Absolutely… pic.twitter.com/RfuJ5uTuF1
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Hurricane relief hero
Greg Biffle earned universal praise amongst the sporting community for his Hurricane Helene rescue efforts last year. Hurricane Helene, a formidable Category 4 storm when it made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, left a path of destruction stretching through Georgia, the Carolinas, and beyond.
The hurricane’s aftermath created flooded streets, destroyed homes and whole towns, and left entire communities cut off from essential services.
Biffle, at the time, shared a wild video of a stranded man signaling his chopper with a mirror.
“The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away,” Biffle wrote on X. “Only way we … were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at (the) bottom of (a) steep canyon.”
He indicated it took “6 attempts to land” in the area, but they did eventually get to the man and were able to deliver him and his family badly needed supplies.
The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away 👀 only way we 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… pic.twitter.com/Wdl4w7hMZM
— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) October 3, 2024
Biffle’s efforts prompted ESPN analyst Marty Smith to demand that he be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Biffle, 55, is a prominent figure in NASCAR history. The Vancouver, Washington native won the NASCAR Truck Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002, becoming the first driver to claim championships in both series.
In the Cup Series, he recorded 19 victories over 515 starts from 2002 to 2016, with a career-best second-place finish in the 2005 standings. Biffle, named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, has been semi-retired in recent years.
Thus far, there has been no indication or confirmation that Biffle was aboard the aircraft.
Ongoing: a Citation crashed in N. Carolina (US). There were 6 aboard, 5 confirmed death. First reports by state jet was trying to return to following an issue after take-off from Statesville Reg. Airport. Jet ("N257BW") was owned by former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle pic.twitter.com/eRHgIXkmdh
— Air Safety #OTD by Francisco Cunha (@OnDisasters) December 18, 2025
The Statesville Regional Airport, a city-owned facility popular for corporate and NASCAR-related aviation due to its proximity to Charlotte’s racing hub, was closed following the crash.
This is a developing story.