Former NASCAR legend, Greg Biffle, was not flying jet when it crashed, NTSB preliminary report says

NASCAR legend's Greg Biffle plane crashes in North Carolina

Footage shows the moment the plane carrying NASCAR legend Greg Biffle and his family crashes at an airport in North Carolina. (Credit: Bobby Renwick via Storyful)

Greg Biffle, the retired NASCAR driver who died when his jet crashed last month, was not the one flying the aircraft, federal investigators said on Friday.

The preliminary report shared by the National Transportation Safety Board said that retired airline pilot, Dennis Dutton, was at the controls, and his son Jack, was in the copilot seat.

What we know:

Neither Jack Dutton nor Biffle had the right endorsement on their pilot’s licenses to serve as a copilot on that plane, but it’s not clear whether that played any role in the crash.

The report said that a thrust reverser indicator light wasn’t working before takeoff, but after the plane got into the air, the pilot’s altimeter and some other instruments weren’t working.

Biffle’s wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were killed in the crash along with his friend, Craig Wadsworth.

FILE - Greg Biffle looks on during the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience event at Five Flags Speedway on June 18, 2022 in Pensacola, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/SRX/Getty Images)

What we don't know:

The nature of the problems with the plane isn’t clear at this stage in the investigation, partly because the cockpit voice recorder cut out at times and NTSB experts have only just begun to dig into what caused the crash.

Who was Greg Biffle?

The backstory:

Former NASCAR driver Biffle, known in the racing world as "The Biff," made a name for himself in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of Year award and winning the series championship in 2000.

He went on to find success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and was named Rookie of the Year in 2001 and in 2002, winning the series championship and becoming the first driver to win  championships in both the Xfinity Series and Truck Series.

During his racing time, Biffle won 54 races across NASCAR's three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. Biffle finished in the top 10 in the standings six times, including a runner-up finish in 2005. Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.

Biffle was 55-years-old and would have turned 56 on Dec. 23.