Dutton Families Sue Biffle Estate for $30M Over Deadly Plane Crash
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- Dutton family estates filed two wrongful death lawsuits earlier this week, each seeking $15 million, against the estate of Greg Biffle, who owned the Cessna 500 Citation II that crashed on Dec. 18 shortly after takeoff from Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
- The lawsuits allege Biffle, as aircraft owner, was responsible for proper maintenance and claim inadequate upkeep contributed to the crash; the plane erupted into a large fire about a third of a mile from the runway.
- A preliminary NTSB report found the plane's altimeter was giving incorrect readings and that Dennis Dutton had turned control over to his son Jack shortly before impact.
- Neither Jack Dutton nor Biffle held the proper endorsement on their pilot's licenses to serve as copilot on the aircraft, according to the NTSB, which confirmed Jack was sitting in the copilot seat.
- Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA crash investigator, said the lack of an experienced copilot may have been a key factor in the crash; the NTSB has not yet released its final report.
- Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR's three national circuits, including 19 Cup Series victories, the 2000 Trucks Series title, and the 2002 Xfinity Series championship.
- In 2024, Biffle was honored for humanitarian work after Hurricane Helene, personally flying his helicopter to deliver aid to flooded, remote areas of western North Carolina.
Why it matters: The Dutton suits target Biffle's estate for $30 million combined, putting aircraft-owner maintenance liability at the center of a case that killed six people — including four from one NASCAR legend's family — and could reshape how private-plane ownership duties are litigated. With the NTSB still investigating, the altimeter malfunction and the unlicensed-copilot finding give the plaintiffs two distinct mechanical and human-factor theories to pursue.
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