The preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report on the December plane crash that killed seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle details who was flying the plane and some of the potential issues.
No probable cause was released Friday. That will likely come in 12-18 months.
The Cessna Citation 550 crashed nine minutes after takeoff when attempting to return to Statesville (N.C.) Regional Airport. It landed about 1,030 feet short of the runway and erupted into flames.
Seven people died in the crash: Biffle; his wife Cristina Grossu; his children, 14-year-old Emma and 5-year-old Ryder; pilots Dennis Dutton and his son Jack; and Biffle employee Craig Wadsworth. They were traveling to Florida with the first stop in Bradenton to see racer and content creator Cleetus McFarland.
The NTSB report stated that Dennis Dutton was the primary pilot, with Jack as his co-pilot (the report doesn’t give names but states the pilot was an airline pilot and his adult son was the co-pilot). Jack had 175 hours of flying experience and was not certified to be a co-pilot of the plane. Dennis Dutton was required, according to the report, to have a certified co-pilot.
Biffle, also a certified pilot, was in a rear passenger seat but tried to help them diagnose potential issues with the plane. On takeoff, he noticed the left engine was producing more power than the right and helped the pilot with directions and with finding the runway with the cloud ceiling at 1,200 feet.
The report also stated that indications are the altitude indicator was not working properly and that additional left-side flight instruments may not have been working properly. There was no evidence of uncontained engine failure with either engine.
While there was a cockpit voice recorder, the quality was poor and “extraordinary means were required to make portions of the recording intelligible.”
Tributes to Biffle, who won 19 Cup races as well as championships in the truck and O’Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) Series driving for Roush Fenway Racing, are expected throughout the 2026 NASCAR season.
His family started the Biffle Family Legacy Impact Fund in partnership with the Foundation for the Carolinas. It will support those in need rooted in the values and passion for helping others.
Biffle was lauded for his Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, flying his helicopter to perform rescues, as well as deliver supplies and communication devices.
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