Current:Home > Contact3 Members of The Nelons Family Gospel Group Dead in Plane Crash -InvestPioneer
3 Members of The Nelons Family Gospel Group Dead in Plane Crash
View
Date:2025-04-24 21:20:46
The gospel music community is in mourning.
Three members of The Nelons, a Grammy-nominated family gospel group, died in a private plane crash in Wyoming that claimed the lives of all seven people aboard July 26.
Singers Kelly Nelon Clark, 64, husband Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler, 35, were killed along with the latter's husband Nathan Kistler, 34, the Georgia-based band's assistant, Melodi Hodges, plus the pilot, Larry Haynie, and his wife, Melissa Haynie, Gaither Management Group said in a statement.
"One of the best loved Gospel music families in America," the company said. "The Nelons were involved in a tragic, fatal plane crash on Friday afternoon on their way to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska."
Kelly and Jason's youngest daughter, fellow Nelons singer Autumn Nelon Streetman, 27, who had traveled separately to the cruise along with her husband Jamie Streetman. Following the crash, Autumn, who is in the second trimester of her pregnancy with the couple's first child, thanked fans for their support.
"Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark," she wrote on Instagram. "We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days."
The single-engine Pilatus PC-12 aircraft had flown from Georgia to Nebraska City, Neb. the morning of July 26 and then took off again that afternoon, headed for another stop in Billings, Mont., according to flight records obtained by E! News.
WSB-TV in Atlanta reported that the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are both investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred in a remote area north of Gillette, Wyo.
An NTSB spokesperson told British newspaper The Guardian that preliminary information indicated the accident took place following an “autopilot issue during flight."
Hours before the accident, the Nelons shared a travel vlog from a Nebraska airport on Instagram.
Autumn, the only surviving member of the Nelons, and her husband were notified of the plane crash upon their arrival at their destination, Gaither Management Group said in their statement.
"They were brought to the hotel where artists were gathered with Bill and Gloria Gaither to pray, sing and embrace them in their grief," the company said in their statement, "pledging to support them in whatever needs arise."
The management group added that "Autumn and Jamie will return home for now to Kelly's brother, Todd Nelon and his wife, Rhonda, to begin the hard tasks that lie ahead. Please keep them, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges in your prayers."
Rex Nelon, Kelly's late father, founded the band in the late '70s. The group, whose lineup has changed over the decades, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Southern Gospel Album for Let The Redeemed Say So in 1991. The Nelons were also known for songs such as "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown."
Autumn, the only surviving member of the Nelons, and her husband were notified of the plane crash upon their arrival at their destination, Gaither Management Group said in their statement.
"They were brought to the hotel where artists were gathered with Bill and Gloria Gaither to pray, sing and embrace them in their grief," the company said in their statement, "pledging to support them in whatever needs arise."
The management group added that "Autumn and Jamie will return home for now to Kelly's brother, Todd Nelon and his wife, Rhonda, to begin the hard tasks that lie ahead. Please keep them, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges in your prayers."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (21)
Related
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- 2 dead, at least 100 evacuated after flooding sweeps through Connecticut
- A 2-year-old accidentally shot and wounded his mother’s boyfriend, police say
- Disney dropping bid to have allergy-death lawsuit tossed because plaintiff signed up for Disney+
- Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
- Weeks after floods, Vermont businesses struggling to get visitors to return
- US soldier indicted for lying about association with group advocating government overthrow
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score today? Star shatters WNBA rookie assist record
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Taylor Swift, who can decode you? Fans will try as they look for clues for 'Reputation TV'
Ranking
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- Pioneering daytime TV host Phil Donahue dies at 88
- Police arrest 75-year-old man suspected of raping, killing woman in 1973 cold case
- Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas' Daughter Stella Banderas Engaged to Alex Gruszynski
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Scramble to find survivors after Bayesian yacht sinks off Sicily coast
- 'Tiger King' made us feel bad. 'Chimp Crazy' should make us feel worse: Review
- NASCAR Cup race at Michigan halted by rain after Stage 1, will resume Monday
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
Winona Ryder Teases “Bittersweet” Final Season of Stranger Things
Girl safe after boat capsizes on Illinois lake; grandfather and great-grandfather found dead
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez will resign from Senate after bribery convictions
Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
Sicily Yacht Survivor Details End of the World Experience While Saving Her Baby Girl in Freak Storm
Taylor Swift and her mom meet Southport stabbing victims backstage at Eras Tour
Scramble to find survivors after Bayesian yacht sinks off Sicily coast