A private jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in Iredell County, North Carolina, around 10:15 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to initial reports. Authorities have confirmed fatalities, though the exact number of victims has not yet been released.
Dramatic visuals from the scene showed a massive fireball and heavy flames erupting near the runway, with debris scattered across the crash site. Emergency crews were quickly dispatched as first responders worked to contain the fire and secure the area.
Public aviation records identify the aircraft as a Cessna C550, reportedly owned by former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. It remains unclear whether Biffle was on board at the time of the crash. Officials have also not confirmed how many passengers were on the plane.
Flight tracking data indicates the business jet departed the airport around 10:06 a.m. and was airborne for only a short time before going down. According to FlightAware, the aircraft did not climb above 2,000 feet.
In a statement to CNN, the Federal Aviation Administration said, “A Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina around 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, Dec. 18. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates.”
The Statesville Regional Airport is owned by the city and serves corporate aviation clients, including Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams. It is located near the I-77 and I-40 interchange, roughly 10 minutes from downtown Statesville.
Video footage aired by WSOC-TV captured firefighters and emergency personnel responding as flames burned near the wreckage. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are actively investigating the cause of the crash.
Weather conditions in the area included low cloud cover, light rain, and reduced visibility of less than three miles, according to an automated weather station at the airport roughly 80 minutes after the incident.
Statesville is located approximately 45 miles north of Charlotte. Officials say more information will be released as the investigation continues.
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