Three members of the Atlanta family gospel group The Nelons have died in a plane crash.
In a statement, the group’s management firm, Gaither Management Group, confirmed that the plane carrying the band members to Gaither’s cruise home in Alaska crashed Friday near Gillette, Wyoming. The crash claimed the lives of Nelons members Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler, along with Nathan Kistler, his assistant Melodi Hodges and pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa.
“As many of you have already heard, my father and mother, Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, along with my sister, Amber, and brother-in-law, Nathan, as well as our dear friends Melodi Hodges, Larry and Melissa Haynie were involved in a tragic plane crash on Friday,” Autumn Nelon Streetman, daughter of Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, said in a statement. “Thank you for the prayers that have already been extended to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the days ahead.”
In a statement to USA Today, Keith Holloway, spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said: “It is very early in the investigation and there is not a lot of information [is] “Available at this time.”
“The aircraft is in a remote location and once they gain access, they will begin documenting the scene and examining the aircraft,” Holloway continued. “The aircraft will then be recovered and taken to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
The Nelons have a rich history in gospel that dates back decades. The group was founded by Rex Nelon in the late 1970s, and while its membership has grown and changed over the years, the band and its members have released dozens of albums and have been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and have won several Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association. The group was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016.
