Instrument Failures Preceded Crash That Killed Greg Biffle and Six Others, NTSB Report Shows

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report last week. It revealed that instrument failures occurred before the Dec. 18, 2025 plane crash that killed former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others. The altitude indicator stopped working after takeoff from Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, and other left-side flight instruments failed too.

Dennis Dutton, a retired airline pilot, was flying the Cessna C550. His adult son Jack sat in the co-pilot seat. Jack Dutton was not qualified to perform second-in-command duties, the report says, despite being a licensed pilot. Federal regulations require two licensed pilots on board to fly the aircraft.

The plane departed at 10:06 a.m. and crashed less than 10 minutes later while trying to return to the airport. Issues began before takeoff when a thrust reverser indicator light malfunctioned. During takeoff, a rear passenger commented that the left engine was producing more power than the right. That passenger indicated there may have been a faulty gauge.

About five minutes after departure, the pilot noted his altitude indicator was not working. Additional left-side flight instruments may not have been working either. According to the Charlotte Observer, the cockpit voice recorder captured Jack Dutton announcing over the radio: "We're having some problems here."

The plane struck trees and light stanchions about 1,380 feet from the runway threshold. Videos showed a large fire erupting when the aircraft hit the ground. Both engines remained attached to the plane, and there was no evidence of uncontained engine failure with either engine, the report stated.

Killed in the crash were Biffle, 55, his wife Cristina, his 14-year-old daughter Emma, the couple's 5-year-old son Ryder, Craig Wadsworth, and Dennis and Jack Dutton. There were no survivors.

Biffle won 19 races in NASCAR's Cup Series across a career that spanned two decades. He also won championships in both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series. The organization named him one of NASCAR's 75 best drivers of all time and has nominated him for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

After Hurricane Helene ravaged areas of North Carolina in 2024, Biffle flew his own helicopter multiple times to deliver essential goods to those impacted. For his efforts, he won the Myers Brothers Award. This award recognizes an individual who made outstanding contributions to stock car racing.

Hundreds of people in the NASCAR community gathered at an arena in Charlotte in January to honor Biffle at a public memorial service. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. A final report will take 12 to 18 months to complete.