NTSB Focused on Pilot Identification Amidst Ongoing Investigation into Fatal Greg Biffle Aircraft Incident

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is diligently working to confirm the identity of the pilot at the controls of the aircraft that tragically crashed Thursday morning, resulting in the deaths of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his family members, and three other individuals. A press conference held on Saturday provided a limited update on the ongoing investigation, which commenced formally on Friday at the Statesville Regional Airport. Investigators have begun preliminary interviews and data acquisition, but details remain scarce as the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident unfolds.

During the Saturday press conference, NTSB Board Member Michael Graham and Investigator-In-Charge Dan Baker reiterated that the agency is still working to ascertain the precise sequence of events that led to the aircraft’s apparent attempt to return to the airport. "We still do not know the circumstances which led the aircraft… to attempt to return to the airport," Graham stated. "But that is the focus of our investigation."

A significant point of discussion revolved around a text message exchange previously reported on Thursday, which involved Cristina Grossu Biffle, the wife of the former NASCAR star. Cathy Grossu, Cristina’s mother, informed CBS on Friday that she had been in communication with her daughter that morning. According to Grossu, her daughter texted, "We’re in trouble, emergency landing." When asked by her mother what was wrong with the plane, the next communication received was an automatic SOS alert from an Apple device, signaling an accident.

On Friday, Board Member Graham indicated that he was not initially aware of this specific text message and had requested further details from those with direct knowledge, which he received between press conferences. By Saturday, Graham confirmed, "This morning, I can confirm that the NTSB is aware of one brief text message from a passenger aboard the aircraft to a family member that read ‘emergency landing’ (but) we are not aware of any other communications from passengers on board the aircraft to those on the ground."

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A critical element of the investigation remains the identification of the pilot during the approximate 10-minute flight between takeoff and the unsuccessful emergency return to the airport. Greg Biffle was a licensed pilot, as were Dennis and Jack Dutton, who were also on board. The other passengers included Biffle’s 14-year-old daughter Emma (from his first marriage to Nicole Lunders), his 5-year-old son Ryder, and long-time NASCAR associate Craig Wadsworth.

"I do not have any additional information about who was in the left seat at the time," Graham stated. "We do anticipate that all the information about all the pilot rated occupants will be included in our preliminary report." This preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while the NTSB’s final analysis is anticipated to take between 12 to 18 months to complete. Graham expressed a degree of confidence regarding the pilot’s identity but emphasized the need for verification before any official confirmation. "At this point, we have a lot of really good information," Graham remarked. "We’re fairly confident with the left seat occupant but we need to verify that. We need to be accurate in what we do. And from a survival standpoint, which is part of what we investigate, we want to know where everyone was sitting and that is a little more difficult in a crash like this."

In the 12 hours between the NTSB’s press conferences on Friday and Saturday, investigators conducted numerous witness interviews and continued to validate the evidence gathered at the crash site. Early indications from multiple sources suggest that the aircraft appeared stable on its approach, configured for landing with its lights illuminated. However, video evidence indicates the aircraft was flying at a low altitude. This observation is consistent with the distribution of debris observed across the airport grounds, with initial impact points identified on a runway light stanchion located approximately 1800 feet from the runway threshold.

Despite these visual cues, Graham noted that there is currently insufficient technical evidence to definitively explain why the aircraft was at such a low altitude. "It did look like the aircraft was configured properly for landing but it was low in the videos," Graham stated. "But we have no other indication over what went wrong at this time."

Since Friday morning, the NTSB has meticulously documented the debris field, cataloged the condition of the aircraft wreckage, and identified the locations of various components and flight controls. The flight voice recorder has been transported to the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., where specialists are working to recover its data. Among the items collected from the debris for analysis are the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. Graham confirmed that these recorders are being sent to the NTSB recorders labs in Washington, D.C., where efforts will be made to determine if data and relevant information can be retrieved.

The maintenance log for the aircraft has also been received by the NTSB. This comprehensive set of information will be utilized to determine the aircraft’s weight and balance at the time of the incident and to analyze the impact load. Both engines have undergone initial analysis. A drone was deployed on Friday to survey the scene, but due to windy conditions, its operations were not fully completed until Saturday morning once the weather stabilized.

The NTSB’s methodical approach aims to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash, with the ultimate goal of determining the probable cause. The recovery and analysis of the flight recorders, along with witness statements and physical evidence, will be crucial in this process. The aviation community and NASCAR fans alike await further details as the investigation progresses.