A former NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle died at age 55 in a plane crash during an attempted landing on Dec. 18 in Statesville, North Carolina. Also on board were his wife Cristina Gusso, their 5-year-old son Ryder and 14-year-old daughter Emma, the latter of whom Biffle shared with his ex-wife Nicole Lunders, plus two other individuals.
This online news platform understands that Greg Biffle’s death in a North Carolina plane crash was confirmed by Congressman Richard Hudson in a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Congressman Richard Hudson wrote: “I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them.
“They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.
“The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
“The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.
“Our prayers are with their family, friends, and everyone grieving this unimaginable loss,” the statement added.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed the crash to local NBC outlet WCNC Charlotte, with the outlet also reporting that the aircraft in question—a Cessno C550—was owned by local company GB Aviation Leasing LLC and that the plane was under contract with Biffle.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell confirmed that the sheriff’s office, N.C. State Highway Patrol and the FAA were processing the crash scene.
While details on the cause of the crash are pending, Accuweather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin, weather conditions at the Statesville airport were “adverse,” the Observer reported.
“Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m,” DePodwin said, per the outlet. “The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m.”
DePodwin added, “Weather conditions are often a critical factor that investigators carefully review after a plane crash. It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.”
