Summary (tl;dr)

Seven individuals, including retired NASCAR champion Greg Biffle, his wife, Cristina, their two children, Emma and Ryder, pilot Dennis Dutton, his son Jack Dutton, and NASCAR community member Craig Wadsworth, tragically died in a plane crash on Thursday in Statesville, North Carolina.

Essential Background

Greg Biffle was a highly respected figure in NASCAR, having won championships in both the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series, and achieving 19 victories in the Cup Series. He was also recognized for his humanitarian efforts, including aiding North Carolina citizens after Hurricane Helene. Dennis Dutton was a seasoned airline transport pilot with a long career, including flying commercial planes for Delta Airlines since 1991. His son, Jack Dutton, was an aviation student at Auburn University and had recently obtained his Instrument Rated Private Pilot ASEL certification. Craig Wadsworth was a well-known motorhome driver within the NASCAR community. Greg Biffle had two children: Emma, born in 2011 to his former wife Nicole Lunders, and Ryder, born in 2020 to his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle.

The Full Story

On Thursday, December 18, 2025, a Cessna 550 business jet, owned by a company managed by Greg Biffle, crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina. The plane had departed from the airport and was en route to Florida but attempted to return shortly after takeoff before going down. All seven people on board perished in the incident, which resulted in a large post-crash fire. Authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have launched investigations to determine the cause of the crash. A possible focus of the investigation is whether a required rated second in command (SIC) was on board, as pilot Dennis Dutton's CE-500 type rating carried a limitation requiring one.

Why It Matters

The tragic plane crash has sent shockwaves through the NASCAR community and beyond, marking a profound loss of prominent figures and their families. Greg Biffle was celebrated for his significant contributions to stock car racing and his philanthropic work. The deaths of his wife, Cristina, and their children, Emma and Ryder, along with the experienced pilot Dennis Dutton, his aspiring pilot son Jack, and beloved NASCAR community member Craig Wadsworth, represent an immense emotional toll on the sport and their respective families. The incident also raises serious questions about aviation safety, particularly concerning private jets, as investigators work to uncover the factors that led to this devastating accident.

Geographic Location

• Statesville Regional Airport, Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina, United States (plane crash)