The ‘Cessna C550’ jet took off from Statesville Airport at 10:07 AM and, while flying approximately 8 km, made a sharp left turn attempting to return, but crashed onto the runway during landing. AP=Yonhap News

A jet of the same model as the crashed ‘Cessna C550’. Mantis Services International

Interior view of the crashed ‘Cessna C550’. Airliners.net 

A Cessna aircraft crashed in North Carolina, USA, killing all seven on board, including former famous race car driver Greg Biffle (55) and his family.

According to AP and other news outlets, the accident occurred around 10:20 AM on the 18th (local time) at Statesville Airport near Charlotte.

The accident aircraft, a ‘Cessna C550’ jet, took off at 10:07 AM and, while flying approximately 8 km, made a sharp left turn attempting to return, but crashed onto the runway during landing.

All seven occupants, including the pilot, died in the accident. The deceased list includes legendary racer Greg Biffle, who had multiple wins in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and his immediate family. The aircraft was reportedly owned by a company operated by Biffle.

Statesville Airport, where the accident occurred, is a small airport without a control tower and is frequently used by NASCAR teams.

The airport is currently closed, and authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the exact cause of the accident, such as mechanical failure.

A private aircraft, the ‘Cessna Citation III’, en route from the Pacific coastal city of Acapulco to Toluca in central Mexico, crashed to the ground in San Pedro Totoltepec, near Toluca International Airport. Civil Protection Department of the State of Mexico

An aircraft of the same model as the crashed ‘Cessna Citation III’. Airliners.net Three days prior, on the 15th (local time), another Cessna aircraft crashed in central Mexico, killing six people.

According to the Civil Protection Department of the State of Mexico, a private aircraft, the ‘Cessna Citation III’, en route from the Pacific coastal city of Acapulco to Toluca in central Mexico, crashed to the ground in San Pedro Totoltepec, near Toluca International Airport.

A total of 10 people were on board this aircraft, including the pilot, co-pilot, and eight passengers. Mexican authorities reported that at least six of them died.

The aircraft caught fire after crashing near fuel tanks and a gas storage facility.

The Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SICT) is reportedly investigating the exact circumstances of the accident along with the Civil Aviation Agency and the local state government.

Meanwhile, Cessna is considered one of the three major light aircraft brands in the United States, along with Beechcraft and Piper Aircraft. It is a preferred model among the wealthy, to the extent that it is synonymous with "private jets," and its parent company is Textron Aviation. 

By Reporter Im Yo-hee