🛩️ The Deadly Plane Crash That Claimed Greg Biffle and His Family
On December 18, 2025, retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, and their two children — 14-year-old Emma and 5-year-old Ryder — died in a private plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
The aircraft was a Cessna C550 business jet, registered to a company owned by Biffle. It was on a flight bound for Florida and then on to the Bahamas for what the family had described as a birthday trip. Minutes after takeoff, the plane turned back toward the airport and crashed near the runway, bursting into flames on impact. All seven people on board were killed.
📱 The Chilling Final Text Message
In the moments before the crash, Cristina Grossu Biffle sent a brief but haunting text to her mother, Cathy Grossu, that would become one of the most poignant details of this tragedy.
According to Cathy, Cristina’s mother:
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Cristina texted from the plane: “We’re in trouble.”
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That was the last communication she received from her daughter before the crash.
Family members later recalled that they had been texting during the flight, and that the message “We’re in trouble” came suddenly and without any other context — leaving them with more questions than answers.
This brief message became symbolic of the family’s final moments, capturing the uncertainty and fear of those last minutes.
🧠 What Happened During the Flight?
✈️ Timeline of the Flight
Investigators and authorities pieced together the approximate timeline:
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The jet departed Statesville Regional Airport.
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The plane then crashed while attempting to land, exploding into fire near the runway.
At this time, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not released a definitive cause — and the exact reason for the aircraft’s turn-back remains under investigation.
🔎 Investigation Details: What Authorities Have Revealed
Officials have been working to determine what went wrong. Here’s what investigators have disclosed:
🧰 What’s Known
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The NTSB recovered the cockpit voice recorder and other flight instruments from the wreckage. These may offer crucial insights into what happened in the cockpit just before the crash.
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At least three licensed pilots were aboard the aircraft: Biffle himself was FAA-rated to fly helicopters and airplanes; Dennis Dutton was a pilot; and Dutton’s son Jack held a private pilot’s license.
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Authorities have not confirmed any distress calls to air traffic control in the moments before the crash.
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Weather conditions at the time of the crash included light rain and low cloud cover, though investigators have not tied this directly to the cause.
🛠️ What Remains Unclear
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