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STATESVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Questions remain as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates the deadly plane crash in North Carolina.
The NTSB held a news conference Saturday morning to give updates on that crash that killed all seven people on board Thursday morning, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family.
The Cessna C550 departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, but crashed around 10:20 a.m. while attempting to return and land, according to the FAA. The jet erupted into a large fire upon impact, about a third of a mile from the runway.
NTSB board member Michael Graham confirmed Saturday that someone on the plane sent a text message to a family member on the ground reading, “emergency landing.” He is not aware of any other communication from the passengers or crew to anyone on the ground.
Partial view of the debris field from the Cessna Citation C550 crash in Statesville, North Carolina on Dec. 18, 2025.
NTSB
Investigators are working to verify who was piloting the aircraft.
“At this point, we have a lot of really good information, and we’re fairly confident with at least the left seat occupant, but we need to verify that,” Graham said.
Investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder, which could provide important clues about what happened.
NTSB team recovers cockpit voice recorder from the Cessna Citation C550 that crashed in Statesville, North Carolina on Dec. 18, 2025.
NTSB
The plane’s speed and altitude fluctuated significantly during the brief flight, and its path was consistent with a flight crew that experienced an issue and needed to return quickly, said former NTSB and FAA crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti.
At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet up to 4,000 feet before descending again. Just before the crash, it was only a couple of hundred feet off the ground.
“One thing is certain: They were low. They were too low to make a safe landing on that runway,” Guzzetti said.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while the final report, including the cause of the crash and contributing factors, is anticipated in 12 to 24 months.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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