STATESVILLE, N.C. — Highway Patrol said they believe that NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his immediate family were killed when his private jet crashed Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport, our sister station, WSOC, in Charlotte, reported. They cannot confirm as of Thursday afternoon due to the extent of the damage.
The Cessna C550 business jet owned by Biffle crashed at the end of a runway while landing, according to the FAA and local authorities.
The crash occurred at approximately 10:20 a.m. at the airport, which is located about 45 miles north of Charlotte.
During an afternoon news conference, Highway Patrol Sgt. Christopher Knox said it was one of the worst crashes he has ever seen. Knox said Highway Patrol believes seven people were onboard.
They are awaiting medical examiner confirmation.
‘Huge explosion’
A witness from nearby Lakewood Golf Club saw the business-class jet crash and told WSOC that the plane was “way too low” before there was “a huge explosion.”
“I didn’t hear anything,” said witness Scott Sain, with Maynard Electric. “But I went across and the whole end of the runway was on fire.”
Sain was working on a construction project at a new terminal 300 yards away and saw smoke and flames.
He immediately thought of the people on board.
“Sad. Sad for the folks,” Sain said. “We’re here in the Christmas season and there’s going to be some families that are hurting at this time.”
Eric Jones was also working near the new terminal.
“When I walked over there, you could actually see the flames,” said Jones. “It was huge. Very sad. Very sad. Praying for everybody.”
Flight path
The plane took off from the airport shortly after 10 a.m. but then returned and was attempting to land there, according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.
The plane had planned to fly later from Sarasota, Florida, to Treasure Cay International Airport in the Bahamas before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and then to Statesville by evening, data showed.
WSOC’s Chopper 9 Skyzoom, which was on its way to the scene, had to turn back due to inclement weather conditions that limited visibility at the airport to about 5 miles.
Fog was present at the time of the crash, although it is not confirmed if this contributed to the accident, as the current weather conditions are being investigated.
The investigation
Knox said National Transportation Safety Board team will be in Statesville, and they are planning on holding a media briefing on Friday.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The plane is owned by Biffle through GB Aviation Leasing, which lists the same address as Biffle himself, according to public records.
The Statesville Regional Airport’s website states that it offers corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.