By Buchanan Maldonado
On December 18, 2025, a Cessna Citation 550 (Cessna C550) business jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The crash resulted in multiple fatalities, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family members among others aboard the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause.
This tragic event is one of several high-profile business jet accidents recently — and it highlights how, despite overall low accident counts, when private jets crash, the consequences can be catastrophic.
📊 Private Jet Safety vs. Commercial Airlines
Accident Frequency:
Aviation safety statistics are commonly reported as accidents per 100,000 flight hours.
For executive and corporate jets, data shows about 0.26 accidents per 100,000 hours flown, and in some reporting, the fatal accident rate has been near zero in certain years — illustrating that many private flights do not experience fatal crashes.
General Aviation (Includes Private Jets & Small Planes):
Broader general aviation (which includes private flying) has historically higher accident rates than commercial flights. One source estimates around 1.049 accidents per 100,000 flight hours in recent data.
Commercial airlines, by contrast, have much lower accident rates: roughly 0.133 accidents per 100,000 flight hours with very low fatal accident occurrences.
Why the Difference?
Commercial airlines operate under extremely strict regulations — mandatory pilot experience minimums, more rigorous maintenance, and standardized operational procedures.
Private jets and general aviation flights have more variability in pilot experience, aircraft age, and operating environments — which statistically increases risk compared with commercial carriers.
🛫 What This Means in Plain Terms
✔ Flying in a private jet is still safe in most cases — millions of flight hours occur each year without incident.
✖ But statistically, private aviation has more accidents per flight hour than commercial airlines, partly due to less oversight and more diverse operations.
📉 Most private flights end normally, but when something does go wrong, the outcomes (like the North Carolina crash) can be devastating.
❤️ The Importance of Life Insurance
Even though flying — whether private or commercial — is overwhelmingly routine, sudden tragedies do happen. The Biffle family crash is a heartbreaking reminder that life can change in an instant.
That’s exactly why adequate life insurance is critical:
It ensures your family’s financial security if the unexpected occurs.
It helps cover final expenses, replace lost income, and protect long-term goals like college or mortgage.
Planning ahead gives peace of mind — because accidents don’t come with warnings.
👉 If you want to review your coverage or explore options designed to protect your loved ones, start at Quote.BuchananMaldonado.com.
Buchanan Maldonado 