Business Jet Crashes While Landing at Statesville Regional Airport; Multiple Fatalities Reported

Shalena
8 hours ago
3 min read

A Cessna Citation business jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, erupting into a large post-crash fire that sent thick smoke over the runway and drew a fast emergency response.

Officials have confirmed multiple fatalities, but as of this writing, authorities have not publicly released an official number of people on board or identified the victims.

This is a developing story, and I’m going to keep this report locked to what’s confirmed — because families deserve accuracy, not noise.

What we know right now

The crash happened mid-morning during landing

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft — identified as a Cessna C550 (Citation II series) — crashed while landing at about 10:20 a.m. Local reporting has placed the time at approximately 10:15 a.m. Either way, it occurred mid-morning during the landing phase.

Video from local television showed first responders rushing toward the wreckage while flames burned near scattered debris.

Multiple deaths confirmed, but details are still limited

The Iredell County sheriff confirmed multiple deaths. However, officials have not publicly confirmed the exact number of occupants, the number of fatalities, or whether there were survivors.

That information typically comes after on-scene recovery, next-of-kin notifications, and preliminary investigative confirmation.

The plane is reportedly linked to former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle

Local reporting citing business records indicates the aircraft is affiliated with retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. At this time, officials have not confirmed who was on board, and multiple outlets have stated it is unclear whether Biffle was on the aircraft.

Because the airport is frequently used by corporate and NASCAR-related aviation, early speculation online has been intense — but identities remain unconfirmed pending official release.

Federal investigation underway

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. The NTSB typically leads accident investigations, with the FAA providing support and technical resources.

No cause has been announced.

What we don’t know yet (and what to watch for)

This is the part where social media gets messy — and where responsible reporting has to stay disciplined.

Here’s what has not been confirmed publicly yet:

The identities of the victims
The exact number of people on board
Whether there were any survivors
A confirmed cause (mechanical issue, pilot decision-making, weather, runway factors, or other operational issues)

Over the coming days, the most meaningful updates will likely come from:

An NTSB preliminary statement
Official releases from local authorities after notifications are completed
Verified aircraft/flight history details confirmed through investigators

A plane crash is already traumatic. But when it happens in public view, with a large fire, and with immediate reports of multiple fatalities, it lands differently. People aren’t just reacting to a headline — they’re reacting to a moment that looks like devastation.

And if you’re in the community (or have family who fly private or work around aviation), it also triggers the same question everyone asks after incidents like this:

“How does something like that happen so fast?”

The honest answer right now is: we don’t know yet — and we shouldn’t pretend we do. My heart goes out to to those lost ,the family and friends.

Developing story

I’ll update this when officials confirm identities, the number of fatalities, and when the NTSB releases preliminary findings.

Sources & References

Associated Press report on the crash timing, aircraft type (Cessna C550), and FAA/NTSB investigation (Dec. 18, 2025). AP News
WBTV / Gray Local Media reporting citing the Iredell County sheriff confirming multiple deaths and noting the aircraft’s reported affiliation with Greg Biffle (Dec. 18, 2025). https://www.wbtv.com+1
Additional local station republications of WBTV / Gray reporting (Dec. 18, 2025). https://www.wect.com+1