Overview
- Officials confirmed seven fatalities and no survivors after a Cessna 550 Citation II crashed while returning to Statesville Regional Airport minutes after takeoff.
- FAA records identify the jet as N257BW registered to GB Aviation Leasing, with flight data showing an abrupt turn back from a planned trip to Sarasota, Florida.
- An NTSB briefing said the aircraft impacted short of the approach to Runway 28 and then continued onto the runway, leaving an approximately 1,800‑foot debris field.
- The board said three occupants held pilot certificates and has not determined who was at the controls, reported VFR operations with low ceilings and drizzle, and noted no early evidence of mechanical failure.
- Victims named by families and local officials include Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, their children Emma, 14, and Ryder, 5, as well as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and Jack Dutton, as investigators seek witness videos and other evidence.