Greg Biffle is back in the news and none of it is good

It’s been nearly five months since Greg Biffle died in a plane crash, yet his name continues to pop up in headlines.

It’s happened twice this week, and neither is good, for opposing reasons: In one, he appears to be a victim. In the other, a defendant.

The current story involves a lawsuit filed by the estate of the plane’s pilot (Dennis Dutton) and co-pilot (his son, Jack Dutton). The Biffle estate is being sued for $15 million for what the plaintiffs say was a lack of proper maintenance and upkeep on the plane, which they say led to the Dec. 18 crash that killed all seven people on board — Biffle’s wife Cristina, two Biffle children and family friend Craig Wadsworth were the others.

Greg Biffle won 19 Cup Series races in his NASCAR racing career.

An NTSB investigation is ongoing, but preliminary reports said the Cessna C550’s altimeter wasn’t working properly at the time of the crash, which occurred just short of Statesville (N.C.) Regional Airport as the jet attempted to return and land.

Remember the Biffle burglary?

Also this week, disturbing news of alleged misdeeds possibly from some within the Biffles’ circle of friends and associates. Authorities have detailed a series of suspicious financial maneuvers involving the Biffles’ bank accounts in the near-immediate aftermath of the crash.

There’s also suspicion that the early-January burglary of the Biffle home might have been an inside job. Surveillance cameras, law enforcement officials say, showed a woman intruder who they suggest seemed to know her way around the house in a manner as if she was familiar with the layout.

On a better note for Greg Biffle’s memory, there’s a chance he’ll be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame when voting takes place later this month. He’s among the 10 “modern era” nominees, from which the two highest vote-getters join the Hall’s class of 2027.