STATESVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is actively investigating a tragic plane crash in North Carolina, leaving many questions unanswered.
In a news briefing on Saturday morning, the NTSB provided new details about the Thursday morning crash, which claimed the lives of all seven individuals on board, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family.
The Cessna C550 jet took off from Statesville Regional Airport, located roughly 45 miles north of Charlotte. Unfortunately, it crashed around 10:20 a.m. while attempting to return and land, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Upon impact, the aircraft burst into flames approximately a third of a mile from the runway.
Michael Graham, a member of the NTSB board, revealed that a passenger on the plane sent a text message to a family member on the ground, indicating an “emergency landing.” He noted that there were no other known communications from the passengers or crew to the ground.
Authorities are currently working to determine who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.
“We have gathered substantial information and feel fairly certain about the identity of the left seat occupant, but we still need to confirm it,” Graham stated.
Investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder, which could provide important clues about what happened.
The plane’s speed and altitude fluctuated significantly during the brief flight, and its path was consistent with a flight crew that experienced an issue and needed to return quickly, said former NTSB and FAA crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti.
At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet up to 4,000 feet before descending again. Just before the crash, it was only a couple of hundred feet off the ground.
“One thing is certain: They were low. They were too low to make a safe landing on that runway,” Guzzetti said.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while the final report, including the cause of the crash and contributing factors, is anticipated in 12 to 24 months.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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