A wrongful-death lawsuit filed Friday in Iredell County is alleging that NASCAR driver Greg Biffle hired an unqualified flight crew to cut costs before the December 2025 plane crash in Statesville that killed seven people, including Biffle and his longtime friend and personal assistant, Craig Wadsworth. The suit claims Biffle and pilot Dennis Dutton knew a qualified co-pilot was required but allowed Dutton’s 20-year-old son Jack to fly without proper qualifications.
According to the filing, Biffle was motivated at least in part by avoiding the expense of a professional co-pilot, and Dutton told Biffle he had found someone to act as co-pilot who would be “cheap.” The lawsuit names the Biffle and Dutton estates along with GB Aviation Leasing, Biffle’s company, which allegedly held no FAA air carrier certificate. Wadsworth’s family seeks at least $25,000 plus costs and interest.
The filing is one of four wrongful-death lawsuits now facing Biffle’s estate, totaling $40 million in claims. The allegations have put the racing legend’s legacy under new scrutiny and raised broader questions about cost-cutting in private aviation, a topic that resonates here on the Suncoast where so many residents fly for work and travel.
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