A private plane carrying members of the Grammy-winning gospel group The Nelons crashed in Wyoming, killing seven people including the band’s leaders Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark.
The twin-engine aircraft went down in a remote field while en route to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise, a gospel music event scheduled for Alaska. Emergency responders arrived to find the wreckage engulfed in flames with no survivors.
Who Was On Board
The victims included pilot Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa, family assistant Melanie Hodges, her daughter Amber and Amber’s husband Nathan Kistler, and Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark of The Nelons. The sole surviving family member, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not on the flight.
Autumn Nelon Streetman released a statement expressing her grief, saying her pain was “indescribable” while thanking supporters for their prayers.
The Crash
Witnesses reported the aircraft experienced mechanical trouble before it burst into flames and crashed into the Wyoming field. Rescuers responded rapidly but could not reach the wreckage before it was fully engulfed.
The Nelons were scheduled to perform at the gospel cruise, continuing their decades-long career sharing faith-based music.
The Legacy
The Grammy-award winning group had maintained a ministry spanning multiple generations through their music and performances.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital team contributed to this report.
