- Fresh details emerge around Greg Biffle’s fatal plane crash.
- Cockpit voice recordings shed light on what was unfolding inside the aircraft.
- Biffle wasn’t at the controls; the plane was flown by a retired Delta Air Lines pilot.
NASCAR veteran Greg Biffle died in a plane crash alongside his wife, Cristina, daughter Emma, son Ryder, and three others at Statesville Regional Airport, north of Charlotte, North Carolina, on the morning of December 18, 2025.
An initial investigation in January released early details, stating that federal safety officials said Biffle was not flying the plane. The jet was under the control of a retired Delta Airlines pilot, Dennis Dutton, while NASCAR legend Biffle was seated in the aircraft.
According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane began to show signs of trouble soon after takeoff, as cockpit gauges were not working properly, and the crew soon realised something was off.
Now, further details have come to light, shedding more light on what unfolded before the crash.
Cockpit recording reveals the last talks between the pilot and Greg Biffle
According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, hints of trouble emerged even before the aircraft left the ground. The left engine did not start cleanly on the first attempt, and during taxi, those in the cockpit discussed a warning light indicating a thrust reverser system issue.
They appeared to downplay the issue, convincing themselves that the system was still working despite the alert.
Once the aircraft began its takeoff roll, another concern surfaced. Someone seated in the back, likely Biffle based on the report’s context, pointed out that the left engine seemed to be producing more power than the right. That concern, too, was brushed aside as a possible gauge fault rather than a sign of a gap in engine output.
Within minutes of lift-off, there were more remarks about mismatched temperature readings between the two engines. Then matters took a turn.
The pilot noted that his altitude indicator was not working as expected, and there were signs that other instruments on his side of the cockpit might also be unreliable. Around the same time, the aircraft’s main display system stopped recording data such as airspeed and heading, suggesting a possible partial instrument failure.
Pilot reported a “problem”
At that stage, control of the aircraft was briefly handed to the right-seat passenger, who was not fully qualified to act as a co-pilot on that jet, and then returned. Soon after, the call was made to turn back toward Statesville. A radio message went out saying they were facing issues, but it was vague and fell short of the gravity of the situation.
Inside the cockpit, someone asked about power to an “alternator,” even though the aircraft does not have one. The pilot acknowledged there was a problem, but did not spell it out or lay out a clear plan to address it.
As the aircraft approached the airport, the pilot reported that he could see the runway, which should have marked a steady path to landing. Instead, the aircraft came in low. It struck light poles and trees before reaching the runway, crashing a few hundred feet short. A fire after impact then destroyed most of the aircraft.
The last message sent from Biffle’s plane
“Emergency landing.” That was the message sent in haste by one of the passengers on board just before the crash. Michael Graham, a member of the NTSB, said at a news conference that officials have not been able to determine who sent the message.
Around 10 minutes before the accident, the aircraft made a left turn followed by another left turn as it attempted to return to the airport. Officials suspect a fault with the aircraft may have led the pilot to turn back.
The plane crashed at around 10:15 a.m. while attempting to land on a different runway from the one it departed from.
