The family of two individuals killed in the December 18 plane crash that also claimed the lives of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family has filed wrongful death lawsuits against Biffle's estate.
Biffle, his wife Cristina, their children Emma and Ryder, along with Dennis Dutton, Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth, died when Biffle's Cessna C550 crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina shortly after takeoff.
The Dutton family alleges that Biffle was responsible for the aircraft's maintenance, which they claim was inadequate before the crash. They are seeking a combined $30 million in damages from two lawsuits. The plane was officially owned by Biffle's company, GB Aviation Leasing LLC.
According to the NTSB preliminary investigation, the left engine initially failed to start, and during taxiing, the Duttons and Biffle discussed an inoperative thrust reverser indicator light. The report states that Dennis Dutton was the pilot, Jack was in the co-pilot seat, and Biffle was seated behind them. Dennis Dutton was not certified to fly without a capable second pilot, and neither Jack nor Biffle were certified as co-pilots.
The NTSB noted that Jack Dutton shared control duties with his father mid-flight. Less than ten minutes after takeoff, Jack reported 'having some issues,' while Biffle mentioned a power-related problem with the alternator, though the C550 lacks an alternator.
Less than a month after the crash, a break-in was reported at the Biffles' home in Lake Norman, North Carolina. An Iredell County Sheriff's detective wrote in a March report that the break-in likely was part of a scheme to steal the family's money. According to a search warrant, the incident was 'a coverup to steal evidence of a more elaborate plan against the Biffle family and their wealth.'
No arrests have been made, but police noted similarities between a friend of Biffle's wife who attended the family's celebration of life and a person captured on video at the property. Suspicious activity was also reported on Biffle family banking accounts, including changed email addresses, phone numbers, and passwords, as well as fraudulent Venmo activity and a cashed fraudulent check from Greg Biffle's account.
Biffle, 55, competed for 16 seasons in NASCAR's Cup Series, winning 19 races and titles in both the second-tier O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and third-tier Craftsman Truck Series.