According to the Associated Press, six people were on board the jet. Biffle, his wife Cristina, his 14-year-old daughter Emma, and his five-year-old son Ryder are among the victims.

The Cessna C550 crashed just after 10am local time at Statesville Regional Airport north of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Biffle was a Ford stalwart, racing with Roush in all but 11 of his more than 500 starts across a storied 16 years in the NASCAR Cup Series. He became famous for running a stylised #16 throughout his illustrious career.

He won 19 races, started on pole position at the Daytona 500 once, and finished a career-best second in the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series.

Biffle won the second-division NASCAR Busch Series in 2002 and before that the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2000.

He was named one of NASCAR’s greatest 75 drivers in 2023.

Biffle was well known outside of motorsport for his philanthropic work, particularly in relation to animal welfare.

Biffle was a registered pilot, and helped in the relief efforts following Hurricane Helene in 2024.

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