‘There’s nobody alive.’ 911 recordings released in fatal Greg Biffle plane crash

Witnesses of NASCAR star Greg Biffle’s deadly plane crash in Statesville were sure no one survived due to the level of destruction, 911 recordings show.

Multiple people called the Iredell County’s 911 Emergency Communications between 10:15 a.m. and 10:18 a.m., on Dec. 18, reporting different angles of the crash at Statesville Regional Airport.

Some stayed on the phone nearly five minutes providing first responders with critical details, including whether people were seen evacuating the aircraft and if buildings were on fire.

Biffle, 55, his family and three others were killed when the plane exploded at the airport 45 miles north from uptown Charlotte.

At least two witnesses called from Lakewood Golf Club, across from the airport.

“Hello, I’m at Lakewood Golf Course right now, and we just had a plane fly over our heads and crash into the tree line, with a huge explosion near the runway,” one caller reported.

“We’re at hole one and it came from the tree line to our right, flew over our heads. It split the tree line by hole nine and went straight downward and there was a huge explosion.”

Another caller reported seeing “a pretty good-sized fireball and a lot of black smoke.”

“Whoever was on the plane probably did not make it,” the caller said. “There’s nobody alive. There’s no way they could have survived it.”

The hectic calls also included workers at the airport, one of whom was standing 200 yards away from the crash and reported: “The plane is engulfed in flames.”

Another worker is heard calling for the airport to be closed, as she simultaneously gives crash details to a 911 operator.

“We have a plane crash at end of Runway 28 and there is a big fire,” she says to the 911 operator. “I don’t know how many people are onboard, but I know there’s at least two pilots, probably at least four passengers. ... I don’t know how much fuel they have on board.”

The aircraft took off from the same runway at 10:05 a.m., about 10 minutes prior to the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board reported at a Dec. 19 press conference.

“Preliminary .... data showed the airplane made an initial left turn to the west, followed by another left turn back to the east, towards the airport,” NTSB officials said.

“The initial point of impact was a runway light stanchion (post) located about 1,800 feet from the runway threshold. The aircraft subsequently impacted trees, two other runway light stanchions and the airport perimeter fence ... before coming to rest near the runway threshold.”

A post-impact fire consumed most of the fuselage and inboard wing sections, investigators said.

In addition to Biffle, the crash killed his wife Cristina, son Ryder and daughter Emma, and family acquaintances Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack, and Craig Wadsworth, NASCAR.com reports. Multiple people on the plane had pilot’s licenses, officials said.

This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 12:24 PM with the headline "‘There’s nobody alive.’ 911 recordings released in fatal Greg Biffle plane crash."