Kreindler Investigating Cessna 550 Citation II Airplane Crash at Statesville Regional Airport near Charlotte, North Carolina
December 18, 2025
What Happened
Cessna 550 Citation II airplane
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, at approximately 10:15A.M., a Cessna 550 Citation II private airplane crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina, an hour north of Charlotte. According to news reports, the plane had departed from Statesville Regional Airport a few minutes earlier and was returning to the airport on re-approach when the crash occurred. The Cessna aircraft was en route to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. All seven people on board were tragically killed, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife, well-known Charlotte real estate broker Cristina Grossu Biffle, their son Ryder Jack, and Biffle’s daughter Emma Elizabeth (with ex-wife Nicole Lunders). The other three accident victims include Dennis Dutton, his son Jack Dutton and Craig Wadsworth. Dennis Dutton was a former pilot with Delta Airlines and veteran pilot with the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Jack Dutton was a student at Auburn University’s School of Aviation. Craig Wadsworth was a beloved member of the NASCAR community and worked as a motorhome driver for prominent figures, including race car driver Kenny Wallace.
The fixed-wing multi-engine Cessna 550 Citation II plane, registry number N257BW, was registered to GB Aviation Leasing LLC in Mooresville, North Carolina. GB Aviation Leasing LLC is reportedly owned by Biffle. The airplane was manufactured in 1981 and equipped with turbo-fan Pratt & Whitney engines.
Kreindler’s Experience with Cessna Crashes
Kreindler aviation attorneys have successfully handled many cases involving Cessna aircraft, including multiple cases involving the Cessna Citation airplane. Our current and past Cessna accident cases include:
It’s a very complicated area of the law. You really need to know what went wrong, what parts were affected, if that’s the case. What were the design issues?
Kreindler Partner and Veteran Military Pilot Daniel Rose spoke with Us Weekly in an exclusive interview about possible legal options for the families involved in the Cessna C550 private plane crash. Dan talked about issues that could be a factor in any potential litigation, including the airplane’s parts, maintenance and age.
Kreindler partner Justin Green authored an article regarding the General Aviation Revitalization Act
Because the aircraft was manufactured more than 18 years ago, the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 (GARA) could come into play with any litigation evolving from this tragedy. GARA is a tort reform measure that imposes an eighteen-year statute of repose for general aviation aircraft. The statute of repose does not bar actions where the defendant knowingly misrepresents or conceals required information that is material and relevant and causally related to the harm plaintiffs suffered. It also does not apply to new components or instructions promulgated after original manufacture within the eighteen-year period. For more information about the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, read the article, Recent Developments Relating to GARA, by Kreindler attorney Justin Green.
Flight data shows the Cessna 550 Citation II, N257BW, departed at 10:06 a.m. and was attempting to return to the runway that they took off from before crashing.
Preliminary Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be investigating the cause of the crash of the Cessna 550 Citation II private plane.
About Kreindler
Kreindler is the preeminent aviation accident law firm in the world. Our attorneys have been appointed leading counsel in nearly every major commercial airline disaster case in the U.S. and abroad, including 2025’s the tragic collision near Washington D.C. between an Army helicopter and an American Eagle passenger jet. Kreindler represents 34 of the 67 victims of that crash. In 2024 the firm was named Transportation Law Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal. Kreindler’s aviation practice is led by 3 attorneys who are also commercial-rated, veteran military pilots from the Army, Navy and Marines. Kreindler’s aviation accident practice has achieved an unmatched record of success representing people globally who have been injured or lost family members in international and domestic airline disasters. The firm maintains offices in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
Endnotes
Photo Credit: Cessna 550 Citation II airplane via Flickr by Bob Adams
It’s a very complicated area of the law. You really need to know what went wrong, what parts were affected, if that’s the case. What were the design issues?
