Breaking News: Preliminary Report Issued By NTSB On Tragic Crash That Claimed The Life Of Greg Biffle And Family
It has been 43 agonizing days since the racing community lost Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, their children Emma and Ryder, and longtime friend Craig Wadsworth. Today, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) broke its silence, releasing a Preliminary Report regarding the crash at Statesville Regional Airport. While the document stops short of assigning blame, the factual timeline it presents paints a heartbreaking picture of cockpit confusion and mechanical warnings that went unheeded.
Discrepancies in the Cockpit
The most glaring details concern who was flying the Cessna Citation 550 and their qualifications. According to the NTSB, veteran pilot Dennis Dutton occupied the left seat, while his son, Jack Dutton, sat in the right. While the elder Dutton had over 17,000 flight hours, he was not authorized to fly this specific jet without a qualified Second-in-Command.
The report indicates that Jack did not hold the necessary certification for that role, and his father lacked the waiver required for single-pilot operation. The flight appeared compromised before it even departed.
Investigators noted a failed engine start and a thrust reverser warning light during taxiing. Despite a passenger later noting uneven engine power during takeoff, the decision was made to proceed with the climb.
System Failures and Confusion
The report details a chaotic environment as the aircraft climbed. Instruments began to fail, and the flight computer stopped recording airspeed and heading data. In a moment that highlights cockpit disorientation, the voice recorder captured one pilot asking whether the issue involved an “alternator.” The Cessna Citation 550 is not equipped with an alternator.
This fundamental misunderstanding of the aircraft’s systems, combined with Biffle’s brief transfer of control to the unqualified right-seat occupant, has created significant trouble, suggesting a total breakdown of cockpit resource management.
What This Preliminary Report Means
For the Biffle family and the NASCAR community, these findings are difficult to digest. This report signals that the investigation will likely move away from a sudden, catastrophic structural failure and focus heavily on “human factors.”
Investigators will spend the next year scrutinizing why a plane with known mechanical anomalies was cleared for departure and why the crew seemed unfamiliar with the aircraft’s electrical systems during an emergency.
We are still 12 to 18 months away from a final determination of probable cause. For now, the sport continues to mourn a champion and a family taken too soon, faced with the heavy realization that the seeds of this tragedy were likely sown before the wheels ever left the ground.
