The aircraft’s black box has been recovered, but the investigation into what caused a North Carolina plane crash that killed a NASCAR legend and six other people this week will be lengthy, according to new details released in the case on Friday, Dec. 19.
According to information from family and federal authorities, seven people died in the Cessna C550 jet crash that took place a little more than 24 hours earlier and claimed the life of former race car driver Greg Biffle and six others.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Michael Graham during a media briefing Friday afternoon confirmed all seven on board the aircraft, including the pilot, died in the 10:15 a.m. ET fiery crash Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Statesville Regional Airport.
‘On behalf of the NTSB, I want to express our most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones that lost their lives,’ Graham said.
A preliminary report on what caused the crash is expected within 30 days, Graham said, but the final report could take up to a year while investigators continue to interview witnesses, review audio recordings and more.
‘This is the beginning of a very long process. We will not jump to conclusions…nor will we speculate,’ Graham told reporters.
Here’s more about the Thursday, Dec. 18, fatal crash including where it happened, who was killed and new details released in the case.
Where did the plane crash happen?
The crash took place around 10:15 a.m. local time while the pilot attempted to land at the airport in Iredell County, about 40 miles north of Charlotte, according to local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration.
NTSB senior accident investigator Dan Baker said the jet took off from runway 2A and was in the air 10 minutes before it crashed.
Five minutes after takeoff, Baker reported, the plane made a left turn to the west followed by another left turn to the east before it hit the ground. The jet also struck a set of trees and a runway fence before coming to rest.
The debris field, officials said, spanned about 1800 feet from the approach end of the runway.
Who piloted the plane that crashed with Greg Biffle on it?
The plane that crashed was manufactured in 1981, Graham said, and could be flown with a single pilot or a crew.
As of Friday, investigators said they had not been able to determine who piloted the aircraft before it crashed.
Graham said three people on board were licensed to fly.
Was the black box recovered from the plane Greg Biffle was on?
Graham said teams recovered one of the black boxes from the plane.
When asked whether aircraft controllers or anyone else reported getting a distress call from the aircraft before it crashed, Graham responded, ‘We are not aware there was a mayday call.’
Who died in the plane crash?
Here’s who died in the plane that crashed at the regional airport.
Family identified the victims as Biffle, his wife Cristina Biffle, their 5-year-old son Ryder, and Greg’s daughter Emma, 14.
Others on the plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
‘We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,’ the families said in a statement.
Where was Greg Biffle’s plane headed?
The plane was bound for Florida but attempted to return to the Statesville Regional Airport soon after takeoff in severe weather, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight paths and previous USA TODAY reporting.
The aircraft was registered to a company tied to Biffle.
What caused the plane crash that killed Greg Biffle?
The cause of the plane crash remained under investigation on Friday by the NTSB with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Anyone who saw the plane crash, particularly those with video of the jet’s approach to the airport after it turned around midair, is asked to contact NTSB via email at witness@ntsb.gov.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund