Popular YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland has confirmed that former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, along with his wife and children, were on board the private jet that crashed at Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday morning.
The news was shared via a heartbreaking post on McFarland’s official Facebook page.
The racing star and pilot had reportedly been traveling to visit McFarland when the accident occurred.
According to the statement, Biffle was traveling with his wife, Cristina, their daughter, Emma, and their son, Ryder.
“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,” McFarland wrote. “We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
The Crash Details
The plane, a Cessna C550 business jet, crashed at approximately 10:15 AM ET during its landing at the Statesville Regional Airport.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed there were fatalities at the scene, though officials have not yet released a formal identification of the victims.
Emergency crews faced difficult conditions, including overcast skies and light rain, as they worked to extinguish the fire resulting from the crash.
Greg Biffle, 55, is a beloved figure in the motorsports community.
Beyond his successful NASCAR career, he was recently hailed as a hero for his tireless work during Hurricane Helene, where he used his own helicopter to save stranded residents in Western North Carolina.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.
