Three members of the family the gospel band The Nelons killed in plane crash

Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband, Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler were headed to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska. Four other people were killed.

 

Three members of the family gospel group The Nelons were killed in a plane crash in Wyoming on Friday afternoon that also claimed the lives of four others, including the pilot.

Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband, Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler were headed to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska at the time of the crash, Gaither Management Group said in a statement on Saturday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said that the accident occurred in Recluse, Wyoming, a town in the northeast region of the state.

Kelly and Jason’s daughter Autumn Nelon Streetman, who was also part of the group wasn’t traveling on the plane. She issued a short statement thanking everyone for the “prayers which have been sent already to my husband, me, Jamie and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, along with Jason’s grandparents, Dan as well as Linda Clark.”

“We are grateful for your prayers and love throughout the next months,” she said.

The last Instagram post was posted on Friday after they captured an emergency pit stop in Nebraska.

“Gaither the Homecoming cruise in Alaska. We’re on our way” Jason Clark said before panning the camera to reveal the others in the group.

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In the crash, also killed included Amber’s husband Nathan Kistler, Melodi Hodges as well as an assistant Pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa.

It’s not clear at this point what caused the accident. Gaither Management Group said the National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation into the incident.

A spokesperson from the NTSB confirmed that preliminary information suggests that a Pilatus PC-12/47E turboprop with a single engine “impacted the ground following an reported autopilot issue in flight.”

The spokesperson stated that the investigation is in its early stages and there isn’t much information available at the moment. The agency has sent an investigation team to the scene of the crash. Once the team is granted access to the airplane that is located in a remote area the team will begin to examine the plane, the spokesperson told.

Haynie was the Georgia Department of Corrections Board chairman. In a statement, the corrections agency stated that Haynie as well as his spouse were “devoted to each other and their grandchildren as well as to the their family” and “were dedicated towards — as well as fervent supporters of members of the GDC members.”

Gov. Brian Kemp said he was “truly sorrowful” by the loss of.

“As Chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board and through his long-standing time of exemplary service to the field of public security, Larry’s contribution on our state will never be erased,” he said in the statement regarding the occasion of X. “We will forever keep his memory and the enduring dedication to coworkers and fellow Georgians in our memories and hearts.”

Kemp said: “Our entire family is soliciting all to be part of prayer for the people who are missing, for their families and loved ones and for all those in the world of gospel music who lost dear friends in this devastating accident.”

The Nelons have released at least 35 records and have amassed more than twenty Top 5 Southern Gospel radio singles, including “Thanks,” “Come Morning,” “We Shall Wear a Crown and Robe” along with “O for a Thousand Tongues” According to the website of their group.

In 2016 they were admitted to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Through their entire career The four-member group was awarded an Grammy nomination for their best Southern gospel recording in the year 1991. They also received 35 nominations to the GMA Dove Awards. They most recently won a Dove Award for country/bluegrass/roots recorded song of the year in 2021 for “If God Pulled Back the Curtain.”

“The GMA and our entire music community is mourning the loss tragically of Jason, Kelly and Amber as well as all the others affected by the tragic crash of a plane,” President Jackie Patillo stated in an declaration. “Our sincerest prayers and condolences are with Autumn and the entire Nelon family. They will be forever loved and honored at the GMA Hall of Fame.”