OAN Staff Avril Elfi
Sunday, July 28, 2024 3:23 PM
Seven people were killed in a plane crash in Wyoming on Friday afternoon, including three members of family gospel group The Nelons.
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Geyser Management Group said in a statement Saturday that Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler were on their way to the Geyser homecoming cruise to Alaska when the accident occurred.
The crash happened near the northeastern Wyoming town of Recluse, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Another member of the group, Autumn Nelon Streetman, Kelly and Jason’s other daughter, released a statement following the tragedy.
“I thank everyone who has already offered their prayers to me, my husband, Jamie, our soon-to-be son, and Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark,” she said in a short statement. “We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the days ahead.”
The group’s final Instagram post was on Friday after documenting a pit stop in Nebraska.
“Gather Homecoming Alaska Cruise. We’re leaving now,” Jason Clark said, panning the camera to show the rest of the group.
Melody Hodges, pilot Larry Haney and his wife Melissa, pilot Nathan Kistler, Amber’s husband and assistant were also killed in the crash.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the accident.
An NTSB spokesman said preliminary data indicated the Pilatus PC-12/47E, a single-engine turboprop aircraft, “struck the ground after reporting an autopilot issue during flight.”
A spokesman said there was not enough information available at this time and the investigation was still in its early stages, and that a team of investigators was on the way to the crash site.
The spokesman also said teams would begin inspecting the aircraft as soon as they could access it in the remote location.
The Nelons have recorded more than 35 albums and have had more than 20 Top Five Southern Gospel radio singles, including “Thanks,” “Come Morning,” “We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown” and “O for a Thousand Tongues.”
In 2016, they were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Throughout their career, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Southern Gospel Album in 1991 and 35 GMA Dove Awards, most recently winning the Dove Award for Best Country/Bluegrass/Roots Recording of the Year in 2021 for “If God Pulled Back the Curtain.”
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