“I can’t help feeling angry”: Mark Martin voices deep frustration over ‘aviation’ incidents as NASCAR mourns Greg Biffle 

Mark Martin was left frustrated after Greg Biffle joined NASCAR's growing history of fatal plane crashes. The Hall of Fame driver noted how aviation 'has been savage' to the sport.

NASCAR's packed schedule necessitates frequent travel, and private jets come in as a useful intervention. However, it has caused multiple casualties in its wake, starting with Cup Series champion Alan Kulwicki's death after his small jet crashed upon arrival in Blountville, Tennessee.

Three months after the 1993 crash, Davey Allison, son of Bobby Allison, succumbed to his injuries after a failed landing of his helicopter in the infield of Talladega Superspeedway. The most tragic of all occurred in 2004, when Hendrick Motorsports employees were travelling alongside Rick Hendrick's son, Ricky Hendrick. Foggy conditions led to their fatal crash, leaving ten people dead.

Greg Biffle's tragic crash entails the death of six others, including his wife and two children, aged five and fourteen years. Reflecting upon the same, Mark Martin shared an X post, writing,

"I can’t help feeling angry. Aviation is a very safe way to travel BUT has been savage to our racing community and families throughout history."

Mark Martin has a personal history tied to fatal plane crashes. His father, Julian Martin, died after his twin-engine Piper crashed on August 8, 1998, near Grant Basin National Park.

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NTSB shares update after retrieving black box from Greg Biffle's cockpit

NASCAR reporter Jonathan Fjeld shared key updates from a press conference held by the National Transportation Safety Board on Friday. The press meet addressed Greg Biffle's plane crash and provided a timeline for further investigation.

While it was revealed that the plane's black box was recovered, it will take 12-18 months before a final report is submitted. Nonetheless, a preliminary report is set to be released in 30 days.

Here are some notable findings from the NTSB meeting:

"The plane crashed 10 minutes after taking off. 3 people were licensed to fly it, unclear who was flying. Witnesses reported the plane came in very low. Plane hit multiple trees, two runway lights, airport fence. "Post-impact fire" consumed most of the fuselage and inboard wing sections."

On the day of the crash, Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas went live on WCNC Charlotte and outlined the probable causes.

"The flight path that we know so far, the quickness with which the pilots evidently made a decision to turn around and attempt to land again, clearly indicates some kind of mechanical issue," Rojas said. "So we could be thinking about issues with one engine. We could be looking at issues potentially with both, because you should be able to land an aircraft like this running on one engine if everything else is going well." he added.

CCTV camera footage from the Statesville Regional Airport revealed an explicit look at Greg Biffle's plane crashing into the runway. The gut-wrenching video showed a trial of flames left by the fatal crash.

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Edited by Vignesh Kanna