Major accident in the US: small jet crashes at airport, famous racer and entire family killed

New York (The Uttam Hindu): A small jet aircraft crashed at a regional airport in Statesville city of North Carolina, USA, resulting in the death of seven people, police officials said. According to news agency Xinhua, the victims include former NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Greg Biffle, his wife, and their two children.

As per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Cessna C550 aircraft crashed while attempting to land at around 10:20 am on Thursday. The plane caught fire immediately after the crash. Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that the aircraft had taken off shortly after 10:00 am but returned within minutes while attempting a second landing. Official identification of the deceased is still underway and is being completed by the medical examiner’s office.

Statesville City Manager Ron Smith said the incident is still being treated as an active situation, with multiple agencies jointly involved in rescue and investigation efforts. Video footage from the scene showed emergency personnel rushing to the runway, where debris from the aircraft was scattered and flames were visible.

Statesville Regional Airport Manager John Ferguson stated that the FAA has now taken control of the crash site. He added that the airport will remain closed until further notice, as clearing debris and securing the runway will take time. The FAA confirmed that the investigation will be conducted jointly with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

It may be noted that a similar incident involving a small aircraft was reported recently in Mexico as well. In the central Mexican state, a small plane crashed in San Mateo Atenco municipality, killing at least six people, including the pilot and co-pilot. The private jet was registered to carry eight passengers and two crew members.