Chilling Timeline Forms After Plane Crash Kills Greg Biffle, Six Others

Aviation investigators are continuing to examine the cause of a deadly private jet crash that killed retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his immediate family, and three others earlier this month in North Carolina.

The crash occurred around 10:15 a.m. on December 18, when a Cessna Citation 550 business jet owned by Biffle went down near Statesville Regional Airport shortly after takeoff. Seven people were killed, including Biffle, his wife Cristina, their children Emma and Ryder, family friends Craig Wadsworth and Dennis Dutton, and Dutton’s son, Jack.

According to accounts from people familiar with the flight, the jet experienced a serious problem almost immediately after leaving the runway. Witnesses described a loud popping sound during takeoff, followed by the aircraft circling back toward the airport. Public flight data later showed the plane climbing sharply before turning back, with speed and altitude fluctuating as conditions worsened in low clouds and drizzle.

The aircraft ultimately struck light poles, clipped trees, and exploded less than a mile from the runway. No distress call was reported before the crash.

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace, a close friend of Biffle, later shared his personal theory while acknowledging the investigation is ongoing. Wallace suggested the aircraft may have lost one engine during takeoff, creating excessive drag that prevented the pilots from maintaining control despite applying maximum power to the remaining engine.

Federal officials confirmed the jet crashed while attempting to land, and both the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The cockpit voice recorder has been recovered, though final conclusions could take many months.

Weather conditions at the time included poor visibility, fog, and light drizzle. Aviation experts reviewing flight data have pointed to a possible single-engine failure combined with challenging visual conditions during the attempted return.

Dutton, one of the pilots, was a recently retired Delta Air Lines captain with four decades of aviation experience. His son Jack, an Auburn University student, had recently earned his FAA instrument rating and aspired to become a professional pilot.

Family members later revealed the group had been traveling to Florida for a birthday trip. The tragedy has deeply shaken the racing and aviation communities as investigators work to determine what went wrong in the flight’s final minutes.