NTSB Focuses on Pilot Verification Amidst Investigation into Fatal Greg Biffle Plane Crash

STATESVILLE, NC – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is meticulously working to confirm the identity of the pilot in command during the tragic aviation incident that claimed the lives of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his family, and three other individuals. A press conference held Saturday morning provided a somber update on the ongoing investigation, which commenced formally on Friday following the Thursday morning crash at Statesville Regional Airport.

Investigators are in the nascent stages of their inquiry, with preliminary interviews and data acquisition just beginning. NTSB Board Member Michael Graham and Investigator-In-Charge Dan Baker led Saturday’s briefing, emphasizing the critical need for definitive information regarding the aircraft’s final moments.

"We still do not know the circumstances which led the aircraft… to attempt to return to the airport," Graham stated in his opening remarks. "But that is the focus of our investigation."

A significant development confirmed by Graham on Saturday involved a text message exchange between Cristina Grossu Biffle, Greg Biffle’s wife, and her mother, Cathy Grossu. This communication, initially reported on Thursday, has now been officially acknowledged by the NTSB. Cathy Grossu had relayed to CBS on Friday that she received a text from her daughter stating, "We’re in trouble, emergency landing." Her subsequent inquiry, "What’s wrong with the plane?" was followed by an automatic SOS alert from Cristina’s phone, indicating a severe incident.

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Graham confirmed his awareness of this singular, brief text message from a passenger aboard the aircraft. "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’," Graham stated. "But we are not aware of any other communications from passengers on board the aircraft to those on the ground."

Crucially, the NTSB remains uncertain about who was at the controls of the aircraft during the ten minutes between takeoff and the unsuccessful attempt to return to the airport. Greg Biffle himself was a licensed pilot. Additionally, Dennis and Jack Dutton were on board, and both also held pilot licenses. The other occupants 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 admitted. "We do anticipate that all the information about all the pilot rated occupants will be included in our preliminary report."

The preliminary report from the NTSB is anticipated within 30 days, though the agency’s comprehensive final analysis is expected to take between 12 to 18 months to complete. Graham expressed a degree of confidence regarding the pilot’s identity but stressed the necessity of formal verification before any official publication.

"At this point, we have a lot of really good information," Graham elaborated. "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 twelve hours preceding Saturday’s press conference, the NTSB conducted numerous witness interviews and continued to validate procured evidence. Initial findings from multiple sources suggest the aircraft was stable during its approach and configured for landing, with landing lights illuminated. However, the aircraft was observed to be flying at a low altitude.

"Early indication from multiple sources indicate that the plane was stable on approach, configured for landing with the landing lights on," Graham reported. "But the aircraft was coming in low."

This observation is consistent with the debris field the investigative team is continuing to survey and aligns with the initial points of impact on an airport runway light stanchion, located approximately 1800 feet from the runway threshold. Despite these visual confirmations, Graham indicated that there is not yet sufficient technical evidence to definitively explain the low altitude during the approach.

"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’s update, the NTSB has meticulously documented the debris field, cataloged the aircraft wreckage, and identified the locations of various components, including flight controls. The flight voice recorder has been transported to NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., where specialists are attempting to recover its data.

Among the items collected from the crash site for analysis are the flight data recorder, the cockpit voice recorder, and various aircraft components. "All of these are being sent to NTSB recorders labs in Washington, D.C.," Graham confirmed. "We will determine whether data and relevant information can be recovered from these units."

These recovered recorders are expected to provide invaluable insights into the sequence of events leading up to the crash, aiding the NTSB in determining the probable cause. The agency has also obtained the aircraft’s maintenance log, which will be utilized in conjunction with other collected data to establish the aircraft’s weight and balance at the time of the flight, as well as to analyze impact loads.

Both engines from the aircraft have undergone initial analysis. A drone was deployed on Friday to aid in surveying the site, but operations were hampered by strong winds. Work resumed and was completed on Saturday morning once weather conditions improved.

The investigation continues to be a painstaking process, with investigators meticulously piecing together the events of that tragic Thursday morning. The focus remains on gathering irrefutable evidence to understand the contributing factors that led to this devastating loss of life. The aviation community and NASCAR fans alike await the NTSB’s findings with profound sadness and a shared desire for answers.

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