The pilot believed to have been at the controls of the Cessna Citation 550 that crashed near Statesville died from smoke inhalation and severe burns, according to an autopsy released April 8. The report identifies Dennis Rollin Dutton, a retired airline captain presumed to have been flying the jet, and concludes his death was accidental. The December 18, 2025 crash destroyed the aircraft and killed seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina and their two children. The medical examiner lists a Davidson address in Mecklenburg County as Dutton's last known residence.
Autopsy details
According to USA TODAY, the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner cites "smoke inhalation and thermal injuries" as Dutton's immediate cause of death and notes that he is presumed to have been piloting the jet at the moment of impact. The report is narrowly focused on medical findings, addressing only the manner and cause of death. It does not speculate on what mechanical or operational issues led to the crash in the first place.
Those conclusions help investigators frame questions about survivability and the effects of the post-impact fire, but they stop short of explaining why the aircraft went down.
NTSB findings so far
The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary work has already flagged a series of instrument irregularities and conflicting cockpit indications as the crew tried to bring the jet back to Statesville Regional Airport. Investigators say the Citation struck approach lights and trees short of the runway before erupting in a post-impact fire.
The NTSB also reported that an experienced pilot was flying the jet, but that the person in the right seat, identified as Jack Dutton, "was not qualified to serve as the copilot" on that Citation 550, according to reporting by AP. Officials have stressed that these are preliminary factual findings and not a final judgment on what caused the crash.
Regulatory and operational questions
Local coverage has noted that the 1981 Citation 550 was registered to GB Aviation Leasing, a company linked to Biffle, and that the jet was headed to Sarasota-Bradenton when the crew reported trouble shortly after takeoff. As WXII 12 and others have reported, investigators are digging into maintenance histories, wiring and avionics records, and crew qualifications as part of a broad systems review.
The detail that the right-seat occupant did not hold the required endorsements to act as second-in-command has already sparked regulatory questions that the FAA may revisit as the fact-finding continues.
What comes next
Federal officials say it could take 12 to 18 months to complete the investigation. The NTSB is asking anyone who captured photos or video of the aircraft's departure or attempted return to Statesville to share that material with investigators.
In the meantime, family members, the racing community and residents across the Charlotte area have continued to hold memorials and moments of remembrance for those lost in the crash. The autopsy answers a narrow but important question about how Dennis Dutton died. The larger question of why the jet came down at all remains with NTSB investigators, who are still working to determine the accident's probable cause.
