Claims seeking $30M filed in plane crash that killed NASCAR legend

Nearly five months after a plane crash killed seven people, including a NASCAR legend, estate claims seeking $30 million have been filed in connection to the late 2025 tragedy.

Former race car driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Biffle, their 5-year-old son Ryder and Greg Biffle's daughter Emma, 14, died after the Cessna C550 jet crashed in Statesville on Dec. 18. Dennis Rollin Dutton, his son Jack Dutton and his employee and friend Craig Wadsworth also died in the late morning crash near the Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte.

Lawyers for the estates of Dennis Dutton and Jack Dutton filed the claims in Iredell County Superior Court, online records show. USA TODAY has reached to North Carolina-based attorney Kristen Forbes and California-based attorney Nicole Anderson, who are assisting with the claims against the Biffle estate.

USA TODAY has also reached out to Holly Norvell, an attorney representing Biffle's family.

According to court documents filed in the case, Biffle owned the Cessna 550 plane that crashed, and was "responsible for maintenance, operation and safety."

What caused the plane crash that killed Greg Biffle?

The official cause of the crash remained under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on May 4.

The plane was bound for Florida but attempted to return to the regional airport soon after takeoff in severe weather, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight paths, and previous USA TODAY reporting.

The aircraft was registered to a company tied to Biffle, and according to an autopsy obtained by USA TODAY, Dutton, an experienced pilot, is presumed to have piloted the plane at the time of the crash.

According to the preliminary NTSB report, Jack Dutton was sitting in the co-pilot seat and was assisting when the plane crashed, but he wasn’t qualified to fly the plane.

Where did the plane crash happen?

The crash took place around 10:15 a.m. ET while the pilot attempted to land at the airport, about 40 miles north of Charlotte, according to local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration.

NTSB senior accident investigator Dan Baker said the jet took off from runway 2A and was in the air 10 minutes before it crashed and struck a set of trees and a runway fence before coming to rest.

Anyone who saw the plane crash, or took video of the crash, is asked to contact NTSB via email at [email protected].

This story has been updated with additional information.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund