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Heartbreaking text from Greg Biffle's wife before crash
Greg Biffle’s wife sent a distressing message to her mother moments before their plane crashed at a North Carolina regional airport on Thursday, killing everyone on board. Cristina Grossu Biffle told her mother, Cathy Grossu, "We're in trouble," according to People.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Federal investigators say retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was not piloting the private jet that crashed last month in North Carolina, killing him and six others.
A preliminary report sheds light on mechanical problems and cockpit roles, while leaving major questions unanswered.
What we know:
The National Transportation Safety Board said Friday that the Cessna C550 was being flown by Dennis Dutton, a retired airline pilot, when it went down while attempting to return to Statesville Regional Airport.
Biffle and Dutton’s son, Jack Dutton, were also in the cockpit, but neither was qualified to serve as the required copilot on that aircraft. Jack Dutton was seated in the copilot seat at the time of the crash.
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Investigators said the aircraft experienced multiple instrument issues, including a thrust reverser indicator light that was not working before takeoff and altimeter and other gauge failures after the plane became airborne. All three men in the cockpit were aware of the malfunctions.
What we don't know:
The NTSB said it is still unclear what caused the cascade of mechanical failures or whether the lack of a properly endorsed copilot contributed to the crash. Investigators have not determined whether the plane’s systems failed independently or as part of a broader electrical or mechanical issue.
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Complicating the investigation, the cockpit voice recorder stopped recording at times, limiting investigators’ ability to fully reconstruct the crew’s decision-making in the final moments.
What they're saying:
Radio transmissions captured Jack Dutton alerting air traffic control to trouble shortly before the crash. "We’re having some problems here," he said, according to the NTSB report. Portions of cockpit conversation discussing the instrument issues were also recorded before the audio cut out.
Timeline:
According to the preliminary report, the thrust reverser indicator light issue was noted prior to departure. After takeoff, additional instruments—including the pilot’s altimeter—began malfunctioning. The pilot then attempted to return to the Statesville airport, but the aircraft crashed before landing.
The backstory:
Biffle, 55, was a longtime NASCAR standout who won more than 50 races across the sport’s three national series, including 19 Cup Series victories. He captured the Truck Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
Those killed in the crash included Biffle’s wife, Cristina, their children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, family friend Craig Wadsworth, and both Duttons.
Who was Greg Biffle?
Former NASCAR driver Biffle, known in the racing world as "The Biff," made a name for himself in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of Year award and winning the series championship in 2000.
He went on to find success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and was named Rookie of the Year in 2001 and in 2002, winning the series championship and becoming the first driver to win championships in both the Xfinity Series and Truck Series.
During his racing time, Biffle won 54 races across NASCAR's three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. Biffle finished in the top 10 in the standings six times, including a runner-up finish in 2005. Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.
Biffle was 55-years-old and would have turned 56 on Dec. 23.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the Associated Press.