The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the crash that took the lives of seven North Carolina residents, including NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, is still ongoing, with updates expected to come soon. In the short aftermath of this tragic accident, here’s what we know so far.
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The crash occurred around 10:15 AM ET Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina.
In total, seven individuals on board lost their lives, including Biffle, his wife Cristina, their son Ryder, his daughter Emma, as well as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, across social media, residents and new stations shared footage of the scene, showing the remains of the plane as fire crews addressed the wreckage.
The commentary on the crash was little in comparison to the outpouring of love from the NASCAR and Motorsports community, with many taking to social media to share memories of “The Biff” and pay their respects to his family and the other passengers aboard.
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In the later hours of Thursday afternoon, even more angles of the collision with the ground, such as this one shared by Charlotte, a news station, WCNC, show the plane aggressively impacting the ground and skidding for a short period after impact.
Per a Facebook post from Biffle’s close friend Garrett Mitchell, whom many likely know by his screen name Cleetus McFarland, the family was headed to Florida to see Mitchell and his family. This led many to question why the plane, a 1981 Cessna Citation Business Jet, had crashed while approaching the airport if it was departing.
As the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation is still ongoing, very little is known, though flight data answers questions about why the plane, which took off during overcast skies in the area, was landing at Statesville Regional Airport, having looped back around to the runway following its preliminary takeoff.
Many aviation experts, such as YouTuber Pilot Debrief, while also pointing out the long list of uncertainties about the crash (mostly regarding what occurred during takeoff and what the exact weather conditions were that could have led to the flight returning to the tarmac), are pointing out the odd route the plane took to return to the runway after takeoff.
As of press time, there are still many missing details about the crash, and per a report from WCNC, the NTSB plans to do a debrief on the crash on Friday afternoon. This story will be updated as new details emerge.
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