*UPDATE* NASCAR driver Greg Biffle killed in North Carolina plane crash
A plane linked to former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Dec. 18.
Airport officials said in a statement to media that the crash occurred around 10:15 a.m. ET.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s office said that there are multiple fatalities as a result of the crash, television stations in North Carolina reported.
According to the online site Flight Aware, which tracks flight paths, the plane departed from Statesville at 10:06 a.m. local time, and appears to have attempted to turn around before the crash.
According to flight tracking, the only C550 flying in and out of the airport on Dec. 18 is owned by GB Aviation, a company whose listed address is the same as Biffle’s listed residence per Iredell County, North Carolina records.
What local authorities said about the plane crash
Airport manager John Ferguson said in a statement to media that a plane crashed at the runway on the east end at about 10:15 a.m.
The FAA arrived at the scene at noon and took over the investigation, Ferguson said. There is no immediate information on the cause of the incident, and the airport is currently closed.
Who is Greg Biffle?
Biffle, 55, is a former NASCAR driver who won 19 Cup Series races over more than a decade with Roush Fenway Racing, now known as RFK Racing. He last competed full time in the Cup Series in 2016.
The Vancouver, Washington native also won the 2002 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship and the 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title.
He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers in 2023 and has been a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee.
In 2024, Biffle provided relief for people in east Tennessee and western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene by flying in via helicopter to hard-to-reach areas with supplies and resources.
He received the 2024 National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Award for his efforts and was honored at that year’s NASCAR Awards banquet.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What to know about plane crash in North Carolina, plane linked to NASCAR’s Greg Biffle
