NTSB Focuses on Pilot Verification in Tragic Greg Biffle Plane Crash Investigation

STATESVILLE, NC – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is meticulously working to confirm the identity of the pilot at the controls of the aircraft that tragically crashed on Thursday morning, resulting in the deaths of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle, his family members, and three other individuals. A press conference held on Saturday provided a brief update on the ongoing investigation, emphasizing the critical need to establish pilotage during the fateful 10 minutes between takeoff and the aircraft’s attempted emergency return to Statesville Regional Airport.

By Friday, the NTSB had officially launched its formal investigation into the aviation incident. However, initial details remained scarce as preliminary interviews and data acquisition were just commencing. Board Member Michael Graham and Investigator-In-Charge Dan Baker reiterated the limited information available during a Saturday morning briefing.

"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 during the Saturday press conference was the existence of a text message exchange between Cristina Grossu Biffle, Greg Biffle’s wife, and her mother, Cathy Grossu. This communication, previously reported on Thursday, offered a chilling glimpse into the unfolding events. Cathy Grossu had recounted to CBS on Friday how her daughter had texted her, stating, "We’re in trouble, emergency landing." Her subsequent inquiry, "What’s wrong with the plane?", was followed by an SOS alert from Cristina’s Apple device, indicating an accident.

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Graham confirmed that he was not aware of this specific text message during the previous day’s briefing and received the additional details between press conferences. "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," Graham elaborated.

The central question of who was piloting the aircraft during its final moments remains a primary objective for the NTSB. Greg Biffle himself was a licensed pilot. Additionally, Dennis and Jack Dutton were also on board and possessed pilot qualifications. 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 admitted. "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, though the NTSB’s comprehensive final analysis could take between 12 to 18 months to complete.

Graham expressed a degree of confidence regarding the pilot’s identity but stressed the necessity of thorough verification before making any official pronouncements. "At this point, we have a lot of really good information," Graham said. "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 preceding the Saturday press conference, the NTSB had conducted numerous witness interviews and was actively validating the collected evidence. "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 aligns with the debris field the investigative team has been surveying. "That information is consistent with the debris field our team continues to survey and is consistent with the first points of impact on the airport runway light stanchion located approximately 1800’ from the runway threshold," Graham added.

Despite these visual and witness accounts, the NTSB has not yet determined the underlying technical reasons for the aircraft’s low 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, the NTSB has meticulously documented the debris field, the condition of the aircraft wreckage, the locations of various components, and the 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 debris for analysis are the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. "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 recordings are anticipated to be invaluable in determining the probable cause of the crash. The NTSB has also received the aircraft’s maintenance log, which, along with the recovered data, will be used to ascertain the aircraft’s weight and balance at the time of the incident and to analyze the impact loads.

Both engines of the crashed aircraft have undergone initial analysis. A drone was deployed on Friday to aid in the aerial survey of the crash site, but its operations were hampered by windy conditions. The drone survey was successfully completed on Saturday morning after conditions improved.

Greg Biffle, a prominent figure in NASCAR, had a distinguished career that spanned from 2000 to 2016. He achieved 17 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 in 2005, and was a consistent contender for championships, finishing second in the standings in 2005 and 2008. His success extended to the Xfinity Series, where he won a championship in 2002, and the Truck Series, where he secured a championship in 2000. Biffle was also known for his strong performances at superspeedways and road courses, demonstrating his versatility as a driver. Beyond his racing career, Biffle was recognized for his involvement in various philanthropic endeavors and his passion for aviation.

The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, with the NTSB committed to a thorough and precise analysis of all available evidence to provide answers and recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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