Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was not flying his own jet when it crashed last month, killing him and six others, according to a Friday report from federal safety officials. The report concluded that while an experienced pilot was at the controls, no one else on board was qualified to be the required copilot. The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that Biffle and the retired airline pilot Dennis Dutton, along with his son Jack, all licensed pilots, noticed issues with malfunctioning gauges on the Cessna C550 before it crashed while attempting to return to the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The plane erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground about a third of a mile from the airport's runway. The NTSB made clear that Jack Dutton was in the copilot seat, but neither Jack nor Biffle had the necessary endorsement on their pilot's licenses to serve as a copilot. Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration, believes the lack of an experienced copilot may have been a key factor in the crash. He stated, 'This airplane requires two trained pilots, and if things go wrong, you need a trained pilot to handle the situation. The airplane might have been able to be landed safely if there were two qualified pilots up front.' The report also mentioned that a thrust reverser indicator light wasn't working before takeoff, and after taking off, the pilot's altimeter and some other instruments malfunctioned. The nature of the problems with the plane is still unclear, as the cockpit voice recorder cut out at times, and NTSB experts are still investigating the cause of the crash. Over the radio, Jack Dutton announced, 'We're having some problems here,' and the cockpit recorder captured part of the conversation between the three pilots about the issues. However, the report indicates that the pilots were able to resolve the gauge issues before attempting to land. The reason for the low and slow approach is not clear. Biffle's family, including his wife Cristina, children Ryder and Emma, and his friend Craig Wadsworth, were also killed in the crash. Biffle, 55, had a successful racing career, winning over 50 races across NASCAR's three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002. In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene struck the U.S., using his personal helicopter to deliver aid to flooded, remote western North Carolina. Hundreds of people in the NASCAR community gathered to honor Biffle at a public memorial service in Charlotte. The jet had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, about 10 minutes before it crashed while trying to return and land. Given the issues, it would not have been a good option to fly to Charlotte.
