NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, and two children, Emma and Ryder, were among seven people killed when his private plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina on Thursday morning.
Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were the three others who died in the crash.
"We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones," the families of the victims said in a joint statement. "This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words."
According to WSOC TV, Highway Patrol Sgt. Christopher Knox confirmed in a news conference that all seven people aboard the Cessna C550 died in one of the worst crashes he has ever seen.
"We can tell you at this point that seven confirmed occupants on the aircraft are deceased," Knox said, as transcribed by Motorsport, adding, "The only person we can confirm is a Mr. Greg Biffle was one of those seven deceased occupants."
Knox later stated Biffle "and his immediate family" were killed in the crash.
Cristina Grossu Biffle's mother Cathy told People that she received a text, which read, "We're in trouble," from her daughter.
"She texted me from the plane and she said, 'We're in trouble.' And that was it," Cathy recalled, crying. "So we're devastated. We're brokenhearted."
Cathy said Biffle and his family were headed to Florida for a "birthday trip."
Cathy told People that Cristina and Greg were at her house the day before boarding the plane.
"I don't remember what the last words that I said to my daughter or to Greg or to my precious Ryder," she said. "I don't remember. I know we hugged, but I don't remember those last words and that's going to haunt me. But they were happy."
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
