NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, his wife, and two children were on a jet that crashed not far from their home in North Carolina, says their YouTuber friend, Cleetus McFarland.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane,” McFarland wrote on Facebook.
McFarland, 30, said he knew “because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
The Tampa-based station WFLA reported that Biffle’s plane was scheduled to fly to Sarasota, Florida. That is a neighboring city to Bradenton, where McFarland is based.
Local authorities said there are “multiple fatalities,” according to WOWT. There has been no official confirmation that the Biffles were among those on board the crashed Cessna C550.
The jet burst into flames upon impact at an airport in Statesville, a northern exurb of Charlotte, images show.
Biffle, like many NASCAR greats, has a home in nearby Mooresville, nicknamed “Race City USA.”
Charlotte-based WSOC-TV reported fog in the area, citing it as the reason it had to turn back a news helicopter en route to the crash scene. AccuWeather reports that conditions at the airport were “adverse.”
The local station added that Biffle’s plane, which took off from Statesville and tried to return minutes later, could carry seven to eight passengers.
Biffle is a licensed pilot. He grabbed headlines last year when he used his helicopter last fall to personally deliver goods to people in North Carolina who Hurricane Helene stranded.
One man who flagged down the NASCAR star with a broken mirror said Biffle ultimately saved his life.
Statesville City Manager Ron Smith said Thursday’s crash occurred at 10:15 a.m., but had few other details to share. He said the investigation is being taken over by federal investigators.
The city’s airport manager said in a news conference that there is no early word on what may have caused the crash. He described the plane involved as a “corporate jet.”
