The families of two pilots who died in a December aircraft accident that also killed former NASCAR star Greg Biffle and his family have initiated legal action this week, filing multimillion-dollar wrongful death claims.
The tragic December 18th incident near Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina took seven lives, including 55-year-old Biffle, his wife Cristina, their two children, family friend Craig Wadsworth, and pilots Dennis Dutton and his son Jack.
Estates representing the Dutton family have each filed claims seeking $15 million in compensation, as reported by ESPN on Friday.
The legal filings contend that Biffle, who owned the aircraft, bore responsibility for maintaining the plane in proper working condition. The claims assert that insufficient maintenance played a role in the fatal accident that happened moments after departure.
A preliminary investigation report released this winter by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that Dennis Dutton was piloting the Cessna 500 Citation II with Jack Dutton serving as copilot.
The NTSB findings indicated that several aircraft instruments malfunctioned during flight, and Dennis Dutton temporarily handed control to his son before the aircraft crashed and caught fire.
Federal investigators determined that both Biffle and Jack Dutton lacked the required certification endorsements on their pilot licenses to legally act as second-in-command for this particular aircraft, which requires two qualified pilots under FAA regulations.
The NTSB continues its investigation into the accident and has yet to issue a final determination.
Biffle enjoyed a distinguished NASCAR career, securing 19 victories at the Cup Series level and earning titles in both the Truck Series in 2000 and the Busch Series in 2002. Beyond racing, he gained recognition for his charitable contributions, including disaster relief work in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
