Three of the four members of one of the biggest groups in gospel, The Nelons, were killed in a plane crash in Wyoming on Friday afternoon, their management confirmed.
Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, and their daughter Amber, died in a “tragic, fatal” plane crash as they were en route to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska, Gaither Management Group confirmed in a statement. The cruise was set to begin from Seattle.
Four other people also died in the crash, including the pilot, Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa, along with Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler, and assistant, Melodi Hodges.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber Nelon Thompson, Autumn Nelon Clark, and Jason Clark of The Nelons attend the 52nd GMA Dove Awards at Lipscomb Allen Arena on Oct. 19, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Jason Kempin/Getty ImagesHours before the crash, the group posted a video in front of a plane during a pit stop in Nebraska, saying they were about to grab a meal and then move onto Montana.
“We are on our way,” Jason says in the video, which eventually pans to all of the victims, including pilot Haynie. The group appear to be in good spirits as they document their itinerary and introduce their “wonderful pilot.”
“We’ll check in later,” Jason adds at the end of the video.
Details of what led to the crash are scarce. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, and told The Daily Beast, “It is very early in the investigation and not much information available at this time.” It did not confirm identities or casualty numbers, however, citing local authorities instead.
According to Campbell County Public Information Officer Leslie Perkins, emergency responders rushed to the “report of an airplane which had crashed north of Gillette” at around 1 p.m.
The NTSB stated that a team is at the scene of the wreck and that the plane, a single-engine turboprop Pilatus PC-12/47E, “impacted terrain” at 1:04 p.m., though the spokesperson said that information could change. They added the aircraft is in a “remote location,” but expect to begin documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. “The aircraft will then be recovered and taken to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the spokesperson said. A preliminary report is not expected for at least 30 days. The NTSB said it is gathering recordings of any air traffic control communications, radar data and weather reports as part of its investigation.
The wreck caused a giant wildfire that firefighters were still battling Friday night.
The fourth, surviving member, Autumn—who is Jason and Kelly’s youngest daughter—was not on the flight. She and her husband, Jamie Streetman, were waiting for the family in Seattle when they received the bad news.
“They were brought to the hotel where artists were gathered with Bill and Gloria Gaither to pray, sing and embrace them in their grief, pledging to support them in whatever needs arise,” management said.
The couple have returned home to Kelly’s brother, Todd Nelon and his wife, Rhonda, “to begin the hard tasks that lie ahead.” Management added: “Please keep them, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges in your prayers.”
In a short statement of her own, Autumn thanked fans 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. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days.”
The pilot, Haynie, was a Georgia Department of Corrections Board chairman and remembered in a tribute post by the corrections department on X.
“We are heartbroken as individuals and as an agency by this loss,” the statement said. “Not only were Larry and Lisa devoted to one another, to their grandchildren and family, but they were also devoted to—and staunch supporters of—the GDC family. Please take time today and in the many days ahead to pray for peace and comfort for their family and the families of the others who were lost as we all navigate this tragedy.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also paid tribute to Haynie and “all those lost in this horrible plane accident.”
“As chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board and through a career of valued service in public safety, Larry’s impact on our state will not be forgotten,” he said in a statement on X. “We will continue to hold his memory and that enduring commitment to his fellow Georgians in our hearts and memories.”
Kemp added: “Our entire family is asking everyone to join us in praying for those who have been lost, for their loved ones and communities, and for those throughout the gospel music community who have lost dear friends in this heartbreaking accident.”
The Nelons have an impressive résumé, with 35 albums recorded and more than 20 Top 5 Southern Gospel radio singles. The group was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, according to a biography on their website. Most recently, they were awarded best Country/Bluegrass/Roots Recorded Song of the Year in 2021 by the GMAs for “If God Pulled Back The Curtain.” All up, they won 10 GMA Dove Awards, including multiple song of the year and album of the year awards.
The band was started by Kelly’s father, Rex Nelon, in the 1970s.
