A corporate jet has crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land at a regional airport in North Carolina, resulting in multiple fatalities, authorities have confirmed.
Flight Details and Fatal Outcome
The aircraft involved was a Cessna C550 business jet. It had taken off from Statesville Regional Airport, located roughly 45 miles north of Charlotte, at approximately 10:00 AM local time (15:00 UK time) on Thursday, 18 December 2025. Its intended destination was Florida.
According to available flight tracking information, the jet subsequently turned back and was on approach to land at its departure airport when the incident occurred. Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell publicly confirmed there had been fatalities but provided no immediate further specifics. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated there were six people aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.
Connection to Former Racing Driver
Officials revealed that the crashed plane was connected to former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. Public flight records indicate the aircraft was registered to a company operated by the retired motorsports figure. The airport where the crash took place is known to offer corporate aviation facilities for several NASCAR teams as well as Fortune 500 companies.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Broadcast footage from local news outlet WSOC-TV showed emergency crews racing onto the runway as fire engulfed the wreckage. Airport director John Ferguson announced the immediate closure of the facility, noting it would "take some time to get the debris off the runway."
The investigation into the cause of the crash will be led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as confirmed by the FAA. The process of recovering the wreckage and determining the factors behind the tragedy is now underway.
