“Incredible technology”: Mark Martin drops his reaction on plane using ‘emergency autoland’ days after Greg Biffle tragedy 

After the tragic loss of NASCAR legend Greg Biffle in a plane crash, another similar incident has surfaced on the internet. Fortunately, the plane landed safely, and former stock car racing driver Mark Martin praised the technology for saving lives.

Biffle lost his life in a plane crash on Thursday, December 18, 2025. He was flying from North Carolina to Florida to meet the well-recognized YouTube personality and ARCA Menards driver Cleetus McFarland. However, his Cessna C550 faced some mechanical issues within 10 minutes of takeoff. Later, the plane crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Statesville Regional Airport at 10:20 a.m.

Days after Greg Biffle's crash, a similar incident happened with a twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air on December 24, 2025. The plane lost communication with the air traffic control and suddenly lost cabin pressure. The pilots quickly put on their oxygen masks, and the autoland system immediately took control.

Fortunately, the plane was equipped with Garmin's Autoland system, which activated on time and saved the lives of two people on board. The system automatically communicated with ATC and told it that it would be landing at the nearest airport. The twin-engine craft landed at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport near Denver, and no one was injured.

Reflecting on that, NASCAR legend Mark Martin praised the technology advancement and wrote:

"Incredible technology here. It’s amazing what can be achieved by brilliant minds."

However, the horrific crash on Thursday claimed six lives, including Greg Biffle, his wife, Cristina, his five-year-old son, Ryder, and his 14-year-old daughter, Emma. Additionally, Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth were also part of the casualties.

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"This news reminds me [of] the tragedy that happened in 1998": Mark Martin reflected on personal loss after Greg Biffle's plane crash

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Mark Martin reacted to fellow stock car racing driver Greg Biffle's tragic demise in an aviation accident. Following that, Martin recalled the time when he lost his father, Julian Martin, in a plane crash in 1998.

Martin's father piloted a twin-engine Piper in 1998 that crashed on August 8. The incident also claimed the lives of Julian's wife and his 11-year-old daughter. The aircraft went down near Great Basin National Park and caught fire instantly. Meanwhile, the former NASCAR driver was at Watkins Glen and was informed about the same after his race.

Reflecting on Greg Biffle's crash, Mark Martin wrote on X:

"Oh my god. This news reminds me [of] the tragedy that happened in 1998. Devastating."

NASCAR suffered from such losses earlier in 1993, when Alan Kulwicki lost his life while heading to the Tennessee airport. The same year, Davey Allison also died in a helicopter crash at Talladega. Years later, in 2019, Dale Earnhardt Jr. also survived such an incident with his family and walked away with minor injuries.

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Edited by Karan Yadav