By Devon M. Sayers, Pete Muntean, Dianne Gallagher

STATESVILLE, NC (CNN) — Seven people have died after a small private jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Statesville, North Carolina the North Carolina State Highway patrol said.

Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and “members of his immediate family” are “believed” to be those killed, according to the release. The post-crash fire has prevented the agency from releasing a definitive list of the occupants at this time, pending confirmation from the medical examiner’s office, the release added.

The crash happened shortly after 10:15 a.m., Iredell County Chief Deputy Bill Hamby told CNN.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said the news was “heartbreaking.” Adding in a post on X “Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one in this tragic crash.”

“A Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina around 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, Dec. 18. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates,” the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN.

Digital creator and motorsports streamer Garrett Mitchell, who goes by the name “Cleetus McFarland” on his channel, said in a post that Biffle, his wife and two children were flying to see him and his family when the crash occurred.

Biffle and Mitchell were friends who conducted rescue missions after Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina and sometimes posted videos together. Biffle is a licensed pilot. It is not yet clear who was flying the aircraft.

Biffle is considered one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers with 19 wins, according to a news release from the racing series.

A witness who works at the airport told CNN she saw the plane on fire after the crash.

“My desk faces where it happened. I was just sitting here, and then I heard a loud boom, and our hangar shook a little. I got up to look and that’s when I saw the flames and fire everywhere,” said Victoria, who works for an aviation company and asked to be identified only by her first name due to privacy concerns.

The NTSB investigating the crash is expected to arrive later tonight and hold a media briefing tomorrow, according to a post on X.

At a short news conference this afternoon, local authorities shared little information about the crash. We have “no information on any cause,” said airport manager John Ferguson.

Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, is an uncontrolled airport with no control tower. Pilots are required to self-report their position on and near the airport using a common radio frequency.

The airport remains closed, according to the airport manager.

Emergency crews were still on the runway near the crash site shortly after 1:30 p.m., a CNN team observed.

Preliminary flight tracking data shows a Cessna Citation 550 left Statesville Regional Airport around 10 a.m. from runway 10, traveled about five miles, then made a near-immediate left turn back toward the airport. The plane did not climb higher than 2,000 feet, according to FlightAware.

Low clouds, light rain, and visibility of less than three miles were reported about 80 minutes after the crash, according to an automated weather station at the airport. It is not clear if these conditions were present when the plane crashed.

“The Statesville Regional Airport provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams,” according to the city website.

CNN’s Caroll Alvarado contributed to this report.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

The-CNN-Wire
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