Current:Home > Scams3 Members of The Nelons Family Gospel Group Dead in Plane Crash -Aspire Money Growth
3 Members of The Nelons Family Gospel Group Dead in Plane Crash
View
Date:2025-04-18 21:35:38
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! (3331)
Related
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Fossil Fuel Subsidies Top $450 Billion Annually, Study Says
- Kelsea Ballerini Takes Chase Stokes to Her Hometown for Latest Relationship Milestone
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $460 Tote Bag for Just $109
- The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
- An abortion doula explains the impact of North Carolina's expanded limitations
- Beyoncé Honors Tina Turner's Strength and Resilience After Her Death
- Indiana reprimands doctor who spoke publicly about providing 10-year-old's abortion
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Psychedelic freedom with Tonya Mosley; plus, 'Monica' and ambiguous apologies
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Climate Tipping Points Are Closer Than We Think, Scientists Warn
- Beyond the 'abortion pill': Real-life experiences of individuals taking mifepristone
- National MS-13 gang leader, 22 members indicted for cold-blooded murders
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Climate Science Discoveries of the Decade: New Risks Scientists Warned About in the 2010s
- Trump’s EPA Starts Process for Replacing Clean Power Plan
- Two and a Half Men's Angus T. Jones Is Unrecognizable in Rare Public Sighting
Recommendation
Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
How Boulder Taxed its Way to a Climate-Friendlier Future
Cap & Trade Shows Its Economic Muscle in the Northeast, $1.3B in 3 Years
New Jersey to Rejoin East Coast Carbon Market, Virginia May Be Next
Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
Wildfires and Climate Change
Climate Science Discoveries of the Decade: New Risks Scientists Warned About in the 2010s
Two and a Half Men's Angus T. Jones Is Unrecognizable in Rare Public Sighting